Just Percy
by Spen.Sir
Summary: Sally did not meet Gabe rather she met Darren, he is a smooth talking man that takes sociopathic delight in the destruction of relationships. How does this affect Percy? Is he still the grand hero despite this adversity or is he something else entirely. (Spoilers) he is not the grand hero!
1. Book 1

A.N.

Im new, Sorry.

Book 1

Last day of Winter Break for Percy, Year 1

Sally looked at her son nervously. He is such a lovely boy, he had been at the school for the first time between the ADHD and dyslexia she thought that he would have issues but those fears turned out pointless. He looked up to her with his father's green eyes, but that only brought thoughts of her final conversation.

Poseidon was standing on the water at the end of the pier, "his sent will be too strong, you will need to send him to camp." Sally cried for days after, her eyes got moist in the memories even years afterwards.

She knew his developing mind could not truly comprehend the danger he brought upon them. It was only a few days ago she had seen the beast. She was on the way to work when it appeared in the crowd, the jet black fur, the awful red eyes.

The way no one noticed it, completely oblivious. Their time in the realm of the living was a miss-step away from the end. She could see it clearly now in her mind, sending shivers up her spine. If she hadn't of taken Percy to school he might have it could have smelt him Percy would be dead.

The current festive attitude did not help ease her fraying nerves. Then the pungent smell hit her like a bus, a crazy plan formed in her mind but if it helped her keep her child it was all for the good.

Sally dragged her son towards the smell. It was coming from a reasonable looking man, who if not slightly dishevelled would be handsome.

He had a slightly large nose and perfect skin, no wrinkle lines or marks from weathering. His hair the same colours as Poseidon. He had an air of self-importance, that was the only thing of concern the rest being irrelevant to Sally's new self-appointed goal.

The goal being the cheap cologne that came off him in waves, she could smell it 30 feet away, could this man be what she needed. He looked a little down on his luck so she might have a chance of convincing him to share the name of that smell that would keep her son safe.

X

Darren was jolted out of his revelry when a lady tapped him on the shoulder. He should have never agreed to play that reception.

On a cursory examination, he pondered if his luck was changing. Having a very single looking mother in the prime of her life straining to look after a child, he wondered how difficult it could be to break one of the most sacred of bonds, a mother and her child.

A thrill of exhilaration at the idea, it rid him of his previous drear thoughts. As a charming grin stretched across his face to cover the sinister one underneath, he thought about different ways to go about this new and very ambitious plan.

"Hi how can I help?" was the polite but distant tone.

Darren decided to go for the aloof on the outside and caring on the inside. After all, he would want to see the relationships tattered ruins it was half the fun.

Darren was contemplating how to bring up the child without being creepy about it, as the mother droned on about her grandfather. Then as if fate aligned the child made a sound somewhere in-between a plane and a cow.

"What a lovely child you have there." His tone now was a lot more gentle, the child spun then grinned at him in the way only little kids can do. It denoting their ignorance of the dangers of the big bad world.

Later that week, Year 1

Sally was surprised at how everything was going, after her parent's death she had a hard time breaking out of her shell, she was still sure that she would have never got out completely if it was not for Poseidon.

After Poseidon retreated faced with a child, she was left with a half-finished arts degree and her bundle of joy. It was hard at first but she slowly built a life, stable employment, her very own apartment.

But the evening they spent in because of erratic weather, was wholly unsuitable.

Her apartment is as small as a shoe box, she was paying through the nose for this place. It is not rent controlled so every month they added 5 to 50 dollars extra. After so many years she was almost paying double the original rate.

She did not have anything in the way of nice furniture, the couch that they were currently sitting on is made with enough space for one and a half making it a tight squeeze, even if she found nothing to complain about, the cleaned up Darren made a much better impression.

Sally had burnt the meal, the chicken didn't survive the frypan when she got distracted by her conversation with Darren.

He didn't care about any of that, he was charming and nice no matter what happened. It was just a really good night, she had not had fun like that in a long time, probably when she was still at college.

Such a great night made her feel a bit bad about the lie of 'her grandfather had a similar cologne' as the reason for them to meet. She pondered the long-term implications of building a relationship from a lie until it was the time she walked him to the door.

Standing at the threshold he gave her a grin that was starting to make her weak at the knees.

"I have one last thing for you, my dear," her heart fluttered with excitement and curiosity at the mysterious words.

There were a few moments of suspense where he reached his hand inside his pocket.

"Ahhhh," there was a scream from Percy's room. Her heart froze as she rushed to the door. What if the monsters got him, what would she do without her son? Flinging the door open she saw everything was fine her Percy was in bed looking around curiously. He must have had a nightmare or something similar.

This just got under her skin, there was nothing wrong he was fine, but he just screamed, he interrupted the special moment. So in an uncharacteristic way she screams "don't ever frighten me like that again!" Seeing her child quiver with fear, his bottom lip trembling.

Sally needed to go tell her pride and joy that he was good and she would always be there for him. But a strong arm took her around the waste, it was Darren.

X

There was a malicious glint in his eye seeing the lovely lady yell at her son, but when she made to apologises he stopped her. Darren had been fabricating a story for the last few days that would let his advice be heeded, it seemed now was the time to tell Sally about June.

"I know it is difficult, I couldn't stop myself," she was looking curious that was good, she was not dismissing it out of tern.

"I don't like to talk about it but I had a little sister, dad and mom weren't around so it fell to me to look after her. I could never say no to her, even as she grew up. at the age of fifteen, she ran off to England. I didn't even have the will to insist she come home for the more than the first day. After a week I ended up sending her some money." He took a long break and wiped away an imaginary tear.

"June died in a car crash that weekend." He wiped away a few more imaginary tears.

He raised his voice almost to a hysterical pitch, "it's my fault, if I hadn't sent the money she could have got the money to buy a car, if I had been more insistent she might have come home, or if I was stricter at the start she might have never left."

X

Sally was surprised by Darren, he had been cool, calm and confident. She privet thought that she liked this new side he had shown her.

She looked away sheepishly until she felt a hand on her chin moving her face to eye to eye with him. "I don't know why you think you are in the wrong, l wish I had been strong enough to have a stern hand."

She reflected on his words, the closing of the door brought her back to the world.

Darren was gone, but there was a box left on the bench next to the door. She rushed over, top of the box there was a quickly rote note 'see you tomorrow'.

A small smile took over her face with the thought of seeing him tomorrow. In the box was a cologne, Percy's room was sprayed with a very light coating.

Seeing Percy sleeping peacefully, she thought that there might be something to the stricter approach.

2 months later, Year 1

Darren watched as Sally hit Percy with a contented grin.

He didn't know why but the kid was a trouble magnet, Darren could still remember taking him a walk in the park and birds attacking for no reason.

The kid getting kicked out of school in grade one is apparently worthy of a few slaps.

This worked out well for his long-term plan, he was going to try and have her associate stress relief with child maltreatment.

Part of that is having her mistreat her child while stressed, as it turned out it is easier to get a stressed mother to treat her children badly if it is the child's fault for the stress.

Now that she just sent the boy to his room. It was Darren's turn to jump in and calm her down.

X

Waves of relief washed over Sally at the declaration, he didn't think she was a monster for hitting at her kid, he didn't think there was anything wrong with that at all. And he was going to find a new school.

3 months later, Start of Summer Year 1

Darren was surprised when his plans bore fruit. He had organised for Percy to go to one of the rougher schools try to get him to grow some spine, Percy had pushed back.

Up until this point he had been deferential and accepting of the treatment. And what a thing to push back on, a birthday couldn't get any more childlike if you tried.

It started in the afternoon his first day home, Darren was there to witness the whole thing. Percy asked, "can I please have a blue cake for my birthday?" the second Sally arrived home

Just from the look on Sally's face, Darren knew that she was not in a good mood.

"There is no such thing as a blue food, and you haven't been a good boy recently," she took the expulsion notice off the fridge and waved it for emphasis.

"Bad boys don't get birthdays." She said with equal parts derision and scorn.

Percy's eyes narrowed before he stormed off with "I will make it myself," coming from a 7-year-old it sounded rather petulant.

Darren was still wondering where Percy learnt that action, that school must really have done a number on him.

Sally's "if you touch anything in the kitchen you will not get anything cooked by me again." Sounded just as petulant, and from a grown lady it was somewhat disconcerting.

Darren decided to put it all from his mind.

X

Percy knew that he should get some special treatment on his birthday.

All the kids from the school said so, John had his birthday at the end of the year and everyone in the class was invited but Percy because he was new.

They treated john so nice that day, even got him presents, but Percy couldn't remember anything special last year for him. So making a cake would not be all that difficult.

John brought in the leftovers from his cake, the day after. Percy saw the cake even if he didn't get to have any, that cake was red which meant Sally was just being stupid, if there is red cake then there can be blue cake.

His face turned to a determined scowl, he would show her blue food. Even if he did have to cook the rest of his food from now on, how hard could that be?

3 months later, the end of summer, Percy's birthday, end of Year 1/start of Year 2

Percy's birthday rolled around and just as any self-respecting now 8-year-old Percy made his birthday cake.

By the time Percy was done everything was a right mess.

There were half of the dishes in the sink, dirty.

Flower and sugar over every bench surface.

At the start, he tried to follow the instructions in the cookbook. The words where big and confusing, plus he did not how to measure a cup.

Only after he ditched the cookbook, he made something to be proud of. It was just the insides of a few slices of bread and some blue food dye moulded into a sphere.

Percy was just staring at his creation when Darren got home, as he was the first to get home, he congratulated Percy on his work, but Percy knew better. If he actually cared then he would help clean up the mess.

When Mom or Sally as she was becoming in the privacy of Percy's mind, got home Darren just agrees with her.

They both started harping on about the waste of food and other petty concerns. Percy was glad that he got the kitchen in a state of mild mess, voiding the comparisons to it being like an explosion in the kitchen.

None of it mattered to Percy. He had made a cake, given it was not very impressive, but it was from his two hands making it best in his eyes at least.

X

Sally went red with anger at the lax attitude that Percy had in regards to the situation. He went directly against something she said, he needed to learn her threats were not idle.

"You have done it now, from this point forward you're making your own food." Her son didn't even bother looking at her.

Righteous fury filled her, he was her son, he would not be alive if not for her.

"You are the worst thing that has ever happened to me." That gave her Percy's attention.

X

Percy was young, his slowly spiralling living conditions. Had forced him to 'grow up' quicker, he recently learnt to respect that he was very inexperienced.

So he determined to learn from those with more experience, this boiled down to talking to the old men that played chess in the park. He did it all summer long, gathering knowledge through the hearing of personal stories that they were willing to share.

If he had trouble remember who had which anecdote, it didn't matter because no one called him up on it.

Percy's quick mental growth meant that he was young he could understand, and be correctly horrified. He knew bad things happened around him and he got blamed. but to be 'the worst thing that has ever' was distressing.

X

It should also be noted that Percy didn't do much in the way of emotional development, so he grabbed his blue bread and ran to his room, and just laid in bed crying over his misfortune.

X

Darren saw sally going for Percy's room, but he stopped her with a hand on her shoulder, "you were a little harsh then, let me try to comfort the boy."

He continued forward and heard the distinct sound of sally collapsing into a chair. He gently put his arm over the boy, currently curled in the fetal position.

Darren used the opening to corrupt the other side of the mother-child relationship.

"it's true, you know, what she said, I know that it is difficult to accept but it is true, what your mother says when they're angry is how she feels deep down, so even if your mom apologises later and says that she didn't mean it you will know better."

X

Percy didn't know. Darren was an adult, so the immediate reaction was to accept the new information about his mother at face value, after all, he had realised that Sally wasn't the nicest to him.

Something was off, Percy knew that when someone was mad they feel different about other people than when they feel happy. He would not have proclaimed to be an expert on Sally, but one of the chessmen's their favourite sayings was 'all people are the same on the inside'.

This was enough to cause pause, Percy didn't know what Darren thought that he was doing, maybe it was some trickery to have him and sally makeup. Whatever it is Percy made his decision, he was not going to care about her.

Another one of the chessmen's their favourite sayings, 'Actions speak louder than words'. Percy's mother didn't care about him, so he just would not care back. If he didn't care what she said or did, then what she said or did wouldn't matter to him.

2 months later, Year 2

Over the next 2 months Percy got good at cooking, there was a lot of trial and error, burnt dishes and washing up but with the help of many T.V. shows about cooking, useless books.

Cooking was not the only thing he found he was responsible for, washing his clothes, getting himself to school, and all the other things little or big he relied on Sally for. He was glad he was not responsible to buy food, or pay rent. It was as if Sally heard his internal declaration not to care, and retaliated by forcing him to do all the things she had been doing to help him.

This proved his assumption wrong, she didn't care before but now she doesn't care.

This forced Percy became successful at looking after himself, he was not great by any means but he was only slightly worse of then when Sally was looking after him.

All of this was beside the point to Percy, he had run out of blue food dye.

Looking at the empty bottle, he silently bemoaned. Darren had been in the room when he ran out making lunch. He assumed that he would need to get his own die.

Darren interrupted his thoughts, "I will talk to your mother." Percy was not quite sure of what to think about it, Darren had been unhappy with the blue food.

So Percy did a bit of eavesdropping on the conversation between Darren talking to Sally.

Darren, "I don't think that we should get him any blue food dye." There was a pause, "yes I know you like that he is learning to be independent, but should you be encouraging him to rebel against you."

Percy was stunned he was doing what his mother wanted she had tricked him, he was going to get her back, as revenge plans and strategies were created and dismissed Percy sat there seething in his anger.

Until there was the distinct smell of burnt, he had lost concentration.

First, there was no die, then Darren and eavesdropping, lastly thinking about Sally and now his food was burnt. He threw away the burnt bread. He left, having no lunch for today is not that much of a hardship.

As Percy walked the chilly street to school he had a difficult time bringing his thoughts under control. How was he going to get more die, what was Darren doing, how should he get revenge. It was only with a strong breeze that racked his body did he remembered his personal declaration not to care, subsequently bringing his thoughts under control.

If he took revenge or even gave it any more thought then he did care and caring about what she wanted would mean that he would fail to stick to his declaration, knowing that was not acceptable he pushed the thoughts out of his mind and focused on the ways he could get food dye all on his own.

Three weeks later, Year 2

Percy looked down at the pittance he had to scrounge up from pretending to be homeless.

It was all he had, he had been formulating the plan over the last three weeks, Percy didn't want to wait till next year to get the food to die, and if he kept up at this homeless act it would be February before he could get any.

As usual, the older kids were playing cards, poker they called it. He had a good grip on the rules and strategy, and looking over the small gathering there were none here that were good at hiding their thoughts.

Percy had been watching and waiting since the plan was in its infancy. Over the weeks Percy had time to get good at judging the other kids, a twitch of the eye, a scratch of the hair. He had a mental catalogue of everyone but Steve, stave was not here today so he would be.

With confidence, he didn't feel he sat in the vacant spot, from his observation he had learnt that some of the older kids would found at the presence of a grade 2, unpleasant so he would need to, show no weakness.

That day he doubled his pittance, but 2 times a pittance still equals a pittance. And Percy can't buy die with a pittance.

It took until the day before winter break to get enough money to buy them, it would have happened sooner if Steve didn't come back and took some of the potential winnings.

Darren and Sally were disappointed when Percy brought back the dead. Percy, however, didn't care, so he got a stern lecture about the immorality of stealing.

Percy felt stupid. He didn't need to pretend to be homeless, than waste his lunchtime gambling. Instead, he could have been learning about something interesting from the Chessmen or School Librarian.

He could have just stolen the die after all 'morality is a social phenomenon.' It took a while for one of the Chessmen to explain what that meant, Percy knew he did not understand the concept completely, but it simply. Morals only affected you if you believed in them, Percy not having a parent or guardian forcing him to believe, meant that he was unaffected by such things. Is that what the lecture is meant to be, Sally was not doing a very good job.

"So what do you have to say for yourself young man?" Sally's last word was punctuated by a hit to Percy's head.

Percy looked at the person he once called mother with exhaustion, what sort of a 7-year-old could be considered a young man. He was growing a large distaste for the word, and the connotations of responsibility it had. Heaving a sigh to refrain from standing on his chair then hitting Sally over the head in the same way she just hit him, he removed the receipt from his pocket and put it in her hand with a harder than necessary force, not that it would do anything.

The next day, Year 2

Percy started on his track home, he was thinking about swinging by the park and Chessmen, he actually had time today with no plans of pretending to be homeless.

"Percy, wait up." It was Steve, he came up to Percy, "Why didn't you play at lunch, you're the only one who can give me a challenge?" Percy smiled kindly at the show of concern, even if it was out of self-interest, at least Steve admit it.

"I guess you had an easy win without me there, sorry to say but my gabbling days are behind me?" Percy's smile got just a bit bigger at the thought 'and thieving days ahead.'

Steve leaned in conspiratorially "I will tell you how I always win if you agree to come back, but you gotta keep it secret."

Percy nodded eagerly, he did not plan to do either but Steve didn't need to know that. "it's magic, or less known as misdirection."

That afternoon in the park Percy found out what misdirection is from Louis a retired stage magician. He agreed to teach Percy sleight of hand after new year's eve.

Winter break, Year 2

Percy thought that Christmas was sacred, but he was wrong.

After Winter break, Year 2

Percy education in the art of misdirection was slow and tedious, Louis had him practise different techniques for hours on end until they were perfect. It was difficult but the results were worth it, every spare moment Percy was practising, palming a coin, shuffling cards or some other thing that Louis told him to learn.

Percy had trouble when he went back to school.

Apart from everyone was talking about what they got for Christmas. Making it Hard for Percy not to care about Sally's lack of gifts, he ended up having chanting a mantra in his head 'I don't care' to keep his cool, with the constant reminders.

It was Steve that ended up breaking his fraying control, "Oy, Jackson where were you?" contrary to Percy's declaration he did hate reminders that he was related to that bitch and there was no more of a direct reminder than his last name.

An ominous "eeeek" happened from the drinking taps on the wall nearby, then they broke, water drenched everything in the hall, and the metal faucet of the drinking tap slammed into Steve. Percy considered getting some help for the dowered guy, then Percy considered that it was not his problem even if he witnessed it. Percy went with the latter.

Two weeks later, Year 2

No matter how much Percy didn't want to fidget he could not help himself, he was sitting across from his vice principal Mr Fredrick.

Mr Frederick asked, "so what do you have to say for yourself Perseus?" Percy was glad that he refrained from using Mr Jackson for the second time.

Percy looked at Steve he just told his version of what happened, with a sneaky addition of Percy beating him after causing the water tap to explode.

Percy thought about any Alterations he would make, "Firstly I didn't ever promise anything, so Steve was not confronting me over a broken anything, and after the drinking tap hit Steve I just left, I could not be bothered. I don't care for whatever he wanted, I didn't bother to get help, I couldn't be bothered to kick him around." Percy exaggerated his lax attitude last fortnight, he feels that lax about it now and who can give a shit if he lies it's not like Mr Frederick could tell the difference.

X

Jacob Paul Fredrick was calm most of the time, but things had recently become stressful. His mother was in the hospital, and the school was being ordained essentially tripling his usual workload. So a child acting up here or there is usually not much of a problem.

Percy Jackson was the breaking point, the kid had already been kicked out of one school and then during the last weeks of the term the boy started to participate in the lunchtime poker but he only observe school bylaws preventing him from doing anything. Even though it is wrong for students to gamble.

Now the boy was in his office exasperation oozing from him. While the child next to him Steve Harden kept sneaking fearful glances at Percy like if he didn't keep visual Percy would turn in to some demon from hell.

Jacob was becoming hard pressed not to agree with Steve's body language as he continued to develop an understand Percy's logic. To think if the drinking taps where not faulty this would not have come to his attention, and he still didn't know whether he would have chosen this extra work and knowledge about his students or have the bliss of ignorance and not all the extra work.

"it's not my problem." the way Percy dismissed the others boys injuries was chilling. The fact he could not find a hole in the boys logic was also disconcerting, Percy had logically shifted any responsibility that he would have to the injured, off himself.

Mr Frederick's had not seen anything like it with children of that age, yes children caused each other pain and suffering but there was usually a malicious motive, but Percy didn't any motive to let Steve's pain and suffering prolong it was just something that was not Percy's problem, therefore Percy didn't put any effort in to helping.

Jacob did not know what he should do, Percy's lack of empathy showed that he could be problematic in the future but he didn't actually do anything violate the rules. Jacob was left with just have to keep an extra eye for Mr Jackson, just call me Perseus

Start of summer, Year 2

Percy was having a great time, given most of his free time went to looking after himself, cooking, cleaning but he always found time to practice misdirection he was getting good, or 'not awful' if you were to ask Louis.

He found that it was so very useful, from being able to pickpockets, or more evidence of a mistake so that Vice Principal Mr Frederick, could not get him trouble.

X

Jacobs observation of Perseus showed that every time there is something wrong Perseus was present and he was always not guilty.

This eventually frayed Jacobs last nerve, so on Perseus end of year report, he might have embellished Percy's actions. This report getting him expelled was the unintentional conclusion of the plan.

Mr Frederick could not even find that he felt guilty, the student would be safer without Perseus.

X

Sally took the news badly there was a lot of yelling and violence. As it happened Darren had skipped out on them, leaving her in no mood for anything to go wrong.

So for her personal nuisance to suddenly need a new school was just too much, not having anything else she could take her anger out on her personal nuisance would do.

X

"it's all your fault" Sally yelled at Percy, who held his hands above his head to weather the blows that rained down from sally.

"you ruined my life" was the next screamed insult. He didn't know that being expelled would set her off, if he did then he would have waited.

Sally continued the tirade, "he would still be here if it was not for you." It's not like he did too badly, C's and B's.

Sally's attack became too much, "I could have finished my education if it wasn't for you." as his arms began to give way against the relentless assault, he wondered if he could have done anything to avoid Sally's wrath.

"You are literally the worst thing to ever happen to…" the final insult was cut off with 'snap' and accompanying sharp jolt of pain from his arm, tears came to his eyes.

He wondered if he was failing his declaration because it is sally who broke his arm, and therefore he should not care, that thought disappeared with the next wave of pain, no it is his arm that is broken and it hurts and he should care.

X

Sally's face full scorn as she was looking at the thing that ruined her life, that last outburst let her realise that it was his fault if Percy was never born then Poseidon would still be here. She had traded a god that treated her like a queen for a snot-nosed brat.

But seeing the broken arm changed the scorn to remorse, she gingerly picked up a glass from the drying rack and with shake hands filled it up with water from the tap, then and poured it over her silently crying, son. The anger from a moment turned to despair.

Seeing the bone mend itself was a relief, her child would be ok. With the relief she did not have the full impact of such a severe injury, letting the despair start on a journey back to rage.

X

Percy was stunned into silence at the sight before him, he watched as the water clung to where his arm was broken, the pain faded and he felt the bone mend itself, but very tired, like he ran for ages without a break. He vowed to figure out what was happening in the morning.

The next 3 month of Summer, Year 2

That day would characterise the next 3 months of Percy's life.

Wake up, he would try to do something with water, if he was successful it would send him to sleep almost immediately.

There were some things that didn't take effort, breathing underwater or sensing it nearby these took concentration. Just as he only got better at misdirection with practice the same could be said about his water powers.

He only noticed a markable improvement after a week. The first day he made the water in a glass hover for about three seconds and then slept for about six hours. After a week he could hold it for a just under a minute and then only collapse on the ground but didn't need to sleep. After a month he could hold it indefinitely.

So he started to manipulate the shape, it took a lot more concentration to do this having a formless blob suddenly be a square, or a sphere, or a pyramid, and having it change shape also took a lot out of him.

All this led Percy to conclude that his powers are like a muscle, they get tired when it is used, but over time the more often and more strenuously it is used the more endurance it gets.

Unfortunately, Percy was still human, and his mom had stopped letting him use her food. He had been able to pay for most of his own food, he set up a table on the side of the street with two tanks of water. Then let people challenge him to see if they could hold their breath in the tanks longer than he could. With his water powers, he always won.

He made enough food money for the next 2 months. After the two days the police shut him down, he could stretch the money from 2 months to 3 if necessary, but instead, he spent it on a cake reasoning he could just set up on any random weekend and just get money then.

Percy's birthday, end of Year 2 start of Year 3

Percy got himself a real cake for his 9th birthday, and it was a newly minted 9-year-old who had his leg broke from the fury of Sally. It seemed that having waterpower's did not help Percy stop the mistreatment.

The powers did reduce a recovery time of from two months to less than a minute; this short recovery exponentially reduced any remorse or guilt over the actions. Percy saw the emotions over Sally's face, it turned out learning poker might not be as useless as the first thought.

First, there was the unbridled rage as she swung the glass bottle she was holding. Next, as the bottle hit his leg there was a flash of satisfaction. Then with the snapping, it turned to guilt. Now with his leg good as new Sally's guilt was fading to everyday stress lines.

Percy considered strait murder, he could just have a blob of water stick in her throat until she choked to death. That idea was dismissed out of hand, he didn't have pay rent or utilities, he could probably get enough from tanks, but other adults would probably not let him live by himself. After creating various other plans usually involving violence to bring Sally under control Percy decided he would just wait

2 months later, Year 3

With the muscle like a quality of his powers, a school was fine but was relegated as a place to practise them.

This decision to wait ended Percy in a pattern, at the end of each week he would be beaten, the only thing that stopped him from lashing out was imagining lashing out.

The mistreatment of Percy didn't stop there, he started to get beat for the most minor of offences real or imagined. Broken bones became par for the course, it was only after one bad afternoon did he get stabbed.

Sally was holding a knife at the time he made her lash out, it was the most painful thing yet, one second it was in her hand and the next it was in his side. As usual, the water healed it right up, this prompted him to action, using his water powers he started to hold a very thin second layer of water over every inch of his body, it blunted impacts and heal injuries immediately.

1 month later, Year 3

Miss. Pantagruel gave Percy another detention for not completing the work. Percy wondered if he could really blame a 9-year-old for not bothering to do the work when he could be moving water with just a thought. Just ask Sally about all the times she faces planted after slipping in 'Magically Appearing' water.

What did surprise him was her coffee splashed all over her, on occasion his powers had activated without effort and fatigue him later.

He could feel the slight weariness that came with using his powers, but he had never used his powers on something that was not completely water he had not even comprehend that it could be done.

This was a new skill that must be mastered, hit with a sudden burst of curiosity he focused on sensing nearby water, as usual, he could sense the water in water bottles around the room. There it was, diluted and scattered but he could feel it in the coffee but still distinctly water.

Percy wondered if it was him realising that there was water in there or his constant use of the skill that let him sense the water. He figured it was most likely the latter, given the muscle like property of his powers he was excited with what else he would be able to sense in time.

Winter break, Year 3

Percy was an idiot, he had been out here the entire week, over summer that would get enough money to pay for food for half a year. People didn't want to stick their heads in freezing cold water, so he didn't even make enough to pay for a week.

That left him stealing from the convenience store on 27th street, the place had no security cameras, so he could use his misdirection skills to sneak out food.

Seeing the snow made him wonder if he could change the state of the water, as it turned out that was something he could not do. Percy spent an entire week of the break trying to force the water to freeze but he couldn't.

Controlling ice, however, worked to great effect, having something solid in his second skin stopped all impacts, then the chill of the ice would numb the injury.

End of Winter Break, 2 months back at school, Year 3

Percy figured it out 'Solid Water'. It is water pressed together so it acts like a solid, he could use it to lift something or block strikes from Sally, but it was very taxing on his powers and concentration.

The water would become about 9/10th's the size, he could only keep a glass of water together for about 3 seconds before it would put Percy right to sleep, anything bigger he could not finish condensing before falling asleep.

Summer of, Year 3

After the winter thieving Percy decided that he would actually get a good amount of cash, so every day he was out there on the street.

Every day, all day he would have part of his mind focused on holding together his second skin of water. The power he devoted to it at this point was negligible.

Another part of his mind dedicated to continually sensing where nearby water is, he had been sensing it in living things or in the air on very humid days. Sometimes he would just wander around with closed eyes let his water sensing show him the world.

In the mornings he would mess with his neighbours, he could control the water in their blood and when focusing on sensing he could feel where most of the people in the building are. It was simple stuff, he would stop a leg from move forward making them trip, or move a hand so that knocks over a glass spilling whatever is in it everywhere, just great stuff.

Then every night he would end up asleep from overuse of his power, trying to build up endurance. He would pull water from something, either the water in a soft drink or the water in a plant or even the air. With enough focus on sense, he could feel all the little droplets moving around in the tree outside, he could feel them in the air humidity dictating how much. Then he would solidify the water until sleep took him.

Percy's birthday,

It was Percy's birthday beating, for his 10th birthday Sally had a wooden spoon of all things, he had grown accustomed to such things.

Percy just sat there ignoring both the verbal and physical abuse, after all that's the only way they interacted anymore. It's not like he cared what she said, and it was less effort to solidify the water where she would hit blocking the impact from each strike, than trying to convince her that it would be better to not beat him.

There was a 'Snap' but Percy didn't feel the pain he had begun to associate with that sound. The clatter of the head of the spoon on the tiled floor drew his attention answering his internal confusion, the spoon broke and made the sound.

Percy momentary forgot about the family of squirrels he was forced to perform Macarena and in his moment of inattentiveness they got away, "well I'm going to bed" Percy said with a yawn.

Sally glaring at his back.

2 years later, Start of year 6

Percy found it hard to dredge up a level of incredulity needed for the situation he found himself in. After he had all his meagre expectations thoroughly destroyed by a string of disastrous foster homes Percy was put in a boarding school by the department family affairs.

didn't know what was up at Yancy Academy but it started with one, 'Grover' his stalker. Percy found he could not interact with the water that he could sense in the blood of the stalker.

Then as if that was not bad enough within the first fortnight the Latin teacher disappeared. Leaving the situation of 'the interaction less water' to increase.

The new teacher Mr B's had the same property as Grover. It was more than Percy not being able to interact with the water in his blood, it was how much he could sense there was enough water an extra 200 pounds of person.

Percy spent many nights just pondering what voodoo allowed the teacher to continue to keep living without dying of overhydration.

Percy refrained from use his water powers in front of either Grover or Mr B unsure of what they were planning and with his life experiences mentally preparing for whatever it is too detrimental to his health.

3 months later, Year 6

All of his ideas and half-formed contingency protocols fell by the wayside with the introduction of Miss. Dodd's.

She was an enigma, she literally had no water in her at all, from the interactions between the three it was clear that Grover and Mr B was on one side while Miss. Dodd's was on the other.

6 months later, year 6

Percy didn't know when he expected for it all to come to a head, but he knew it was soon, Miss. Dodd's had turned up after Christmas and the tension had only been growing from there

The bus for the field trip was cramped, Percy hoped he would have a chance to slip to the back of the bus with the rich kids they would probably end up playing poker back there, he would clean them out even without his skills of misdirection and water manipulation.

Still much to Percy's chagrin he ended up at the front next to Grover, being as it was the only seat left. Such a stupid field trip.

That didn't mean could not have any fun, actually quite the opposite. Nancy was the first to fall, victim, it might have been because she got pudding on Percy when she through it at Grover, but it is more likely to have been a completely impartial decision.

She had her feet pulled from under her as she was getting out of the bus, this meant that when she instinctively reached out for support, Percy taking advantage of the situation guide the arm on to Miss. Dodd's.

As Miss. Dodd's was supervising the children out of the bus that meant her lack of presents the children came out willy-nilly and stampeded the student and teacher caught at the bottom of the bus stops. Percy smiled at the mayhem and chaos in front of him, by his own hand.

It was lunch, Percy was dismantling the storm clouds in the distance when Miss. Dodd's called Percy away.

Percy used his water senses to find that Mr B was following, this puts Percy on the defensive, as predicted things were coming to ahead.

They ended up in a room closed for maintenance, Percy felt out the room there was only some water in the paint cans at the far left side, but the next thing he saw. Was Miss. Dodd's but she no longer locked human she had leathery bat wings, eyes glowing like hot coals and talons instead of hands, "you will give me the bolt Perseus Jackson or suffer a very painful death."

Percy was trying to rationalise this new thing that wanted something from him and found it did not at all fit into his limited worldview. Mr B arrived and tossed a pen at Percy, Percy would not have noticed his arrival if there was not a tiny portion of his mind keeping track of everybody's water signatures.

This turned out to save his life because in mid-air the pen changed into a sword and came right at Percy, he fumbled the catch as Miss. Dodd's attacked when his concentration was on the flying sword. Percy was able to dodge most of the Attack by falling to the floor, there was only a slight scratch on his left cheek from the point of the wing. His second skin of water healed it.

The pen sword was right in front of his face, Miss. Dodd's came around for a second attack, Percy didn't really have anything near a plan when he snatched up the sword, but he did his best for anyone in his situation and waved the sword widely over his head.

Percy heard an incoherent yell of rage when the sword made contact, suddenly the flying terror no longer had formed just a cloud of dust that completely covered him. Percy had not given any contemplation on what he expected to happen while feeling the entrails of Miss Dodd's all over him he knew was not expecting his teacher to turn in to the flying bat lady.

Percy turned to find Mr B was no longer there and at this moment he was a demand to get some answers. He came striding out to the lunch area looking for his teacher after spending just enough time having his eyes adjusting to the sun.

Percy saw the man sitting there eating his sandwich, like Percy didn't just turn his math teacher to dust with a sword, he looked down to see that now it was back to being a pen.

Percy didn't let any inflection negative or positive, into his voice when he asked, "did you know, I just found this most lovely of pens as I was wondering the museum?"

There was some faint amusement, "o really would you mind if I take a look I seem to have lost one during the tour?"

Percy wondered how long Mr B would let the charade go but he was impatient, "no, what are you? I want some straight answers."

Percy stomped his foot and had the water in the fountain geyser for effect rather than any actual anger, sort of curious if it would get him any information from a still unknown party.

Then he felt a little woozy between the most recent display, weather alteration and messing with Nancy, he did more today than in the last week, not having used his powers all that much at Yancy. Percy considered there muscle like the description in his head and concluded his powers must have atrophied over the last few months.

Mr B steadied Percy. "I think it might be best if I wait till we are at camp, but first I must call Argus and have him bring the van to risky any other way."

X

Chiron was not sure what to do, that was quite the odd feeling. He had been training heroes for his considerably long life but even with all that experience, Perseus Jackson was an enigma.

The boy had seemed to be able to see through his disguise, from the suspicious looks he continually gave, he could also see through Alecto's Disguise as well.

By the lack of, "you're a horse." Chiron could only conclude that Percy was not able to tell what is underneath.

Then there was that show of power, seeing a 12-year-old able to stay on his feet after that had Chiron wondered if the child had been bottling anger since the first suspicious look and lack of answers, or if it had been powered by the adrenaline of his first monster fight.

Chiron was leaning towards the former, the little sniping they did over the pen seemed amicable, showing great emotional control. Chiron was sure the boy wanted answers but he didn't give any so the boy finally snapped.

The power shown did throw his fledgling plans to the dogs. There was no good way to convince the boy there was nothing odd happening, especially while he still had Anaklusmos.

Chiron planned to get Anaklusmos back no matter what, but his plan of acting like there was nothing wrong for the last few days of school was not going to go over. So after his call too Argus, he sent Grover to organise the forms that the department of family affairs would what before placing Percy at camp half-blood for the summer.

Chiron would still need to keep Percy from the truth because the second he figures out the truth his already potent sent would probably call all the monsters in Manhattan. Chiron was unsure if he could outrun them with the boy on his back and there is no way he would lose another of the big three. So the child would just have to wait the two days for Argus to get here then the two days back.

4 days later, Camp year 1 start

"Please step back Percy", the centaur asked in a voice that implied he knew it was frivolous to make the request but he had to anyway.

'thud,' the minotaur slammed into the camp boundary only millimetres to Percy's face.

"huh" Percy replied faintly, he was leaning against a tree/person named Thalia.

'thud', Percy was confused if Zeus had the power to make this a protected area why couldn't he do that for lots of other places or just completely get rid of the monsters. Percy wondered if he should be having a hard time dealing with the concept of Greek gods being alive and well in the world, but he did not.

It is probably due to the fact that he could control water, the Greek gods being alive is an as good of an explanation as he would ever get.

'thud', Percy uncapped the pen then drove the sword into the monster of legends, it turned to dust in a very underwhelming way.

"that is not how you should kill monsters, Percy," Chiron said, in something that was halfway between scolding and resignedly. Before Percy could reply with a snarky comment about 'the proper way to murder'.

A man in a Hawaiian shirt came over the hill, he had an air of superiority around him, "what is taking so long Chiron, or you finally concede that I am the better Pinochle player?"

Percy looked at the newcomer appraisingly, still with a snarky comment on his tongue he asked: "let me guess that he is the most powerful person here?"

The man didn't pick up on the sarcasm and instead started on the way that he came from "it is good to be recognised, I am Dionysus Olympian god."

That took Percy a bit by surprise, he was speaking to one of the 12 most powerful beings in existence or was it a madman thinking that he's a god of madness, Percy smiled at the thought.

"Can I please have the sword back now Percy", Chiron asked again, over the last four days Percy would respond.

"We will see when I get some answers." Now that Percy had his answers it was not too unreasonable to think that Chiron would get Anaklusmos back.

The response "I am keeping the pen, who knows what monsters I will have to fight when summer ends, I think keeping the Pen Sword would be for the best" even surprised Percy.

X

Chiron could not argue with that logic he just hoped that Poseidon would not take offence. A short walk the god, centaur and a 12-year-old led to a table on the patio of 'the big house'.

X

Percy didn't know what the god had against Poker, but Pinochle was not all that hard to pick up. They played from late morning until that afternoon.

Percy learnt more about Greek mythology and the mystical world in that time than an entire year spent with Chiron. There was just something very compelling about a firsthand account that had the last three millennia to be perfected.

When Percy heard about the current plight of Mr D he wondered if there was a way to get around the curse, as Mr D was talking about how he turned a crew of pirates into dolphin men. Then a bell rang signalling that it was time to go to the pavilion.

"You lose," Chiron said revealing his cards.

Mr D just waved it off, "I will get you next time."

Percy broke in, "I think that I win this round." Percy revealed a winning hand, he took some time to get the right hand but the bell was a great distraction for his misdirection. This win still didn't change anything because Chiron had one three rounds.

As they were getting up to move off Percy posed a question to the two adults, "so Mr D said that one of his kids was able to manipulate the Mist or Mist Control, I was wondering if I could do that or is it part of being a child of Dionysus."

Chiron flat out, "no, you are not ready for such responsibly."

Percy was pretty that sure what caused Mr D to say, "I will teach him," was that Chiron won.

The Greek god sent a look at Chiron that was a mixture of, I dare you to challenge me and that's, what you get for winning Pinochle.

Dionysus then turned to Percy, "you will need to get back here at first light Prancy." Percy was thinking about all the cool stuff he could do if he could change people's perception of the world. His ideas where limitless.

There was peaceful silence between the trio as they walked the path to the pavilion. Until a girl, with a good, two shoes vides came up. Chiron stepped up to greet the girl and Percy came side by side with Mr.D.

"Ah Annabeth thank you for coming, I was hoping you could show Percy around." Chiron said, "but alas it is time for dinner, so it might be better to do after dinner."

X

"Ok, not a problem," she answered excitedly, but then she poked her head around to see the boy in question sharing low tones with Mr.D, this caught her off guard, a camper who Mr.D does not hate.

"Who is his godly parent?" She asked as her grey eyes scrutinised him.

X

This caused Percy to wonder what he had done to her, assuming that it some sort of disapproving look. Before putting it out of his mind.

Continuing his whispered conversation, "so if the Mist will only occasionally work on Demigods, what is the likelihood that it will work on gods?" Percy questioned.

Mr D replied, "unless you're really good, and they are not paying it attention, is the only way you would ever get it passed a god."

X

"So I will put him with the herms Kids." Annabeth declared loud enough to cut through the whispered conversation the new kid was having, then she turned on her heal and took off.

She stopped in her tracks when she heard, "I hope you don't expect me to keep up?"

After a seconds thought she decided that she did expect that and continued at her pace.

It took the boy a hurried yell, "See you tomorrow Mr D" and about 30 seconds just to catch up.

X

There was a tense silence between Percy and the girl when he caught up. This was fine because Percy could sense something was different, off-kilter.

He was sedately walking on the trail of the girl as he tried to put his finger on what was bothering before knew it the ground quickly ended up where he planted his face. The giggle and the sardonic look she shot him while in great contrast just made her actions a bit cruel. Percy refused to be fazed so he didn't give anything but a shrug.

In his most philosophical tone, "it is what it is." That shifted the mood back to the tense silence.

The only thing she said was a terse directive, "you sit there," she pointed to the rowdiest table. "follow them to the cabin I will find you tomorrow."

Percy walked over and stood at the table awkwardly, he was not the best with lots of people on a good day. He was contented with his limbo, a blond dude with an easy smile introduced himself and the table, "Hi I'm Luke Castellan and this is cabin 11." Ripping any last vestiges of comfort from him.

After a round of introductions, Chiron called the camp to order. Being at a head table in the centre of the pavilion all attention was given to him almost immediately, "I don't have many announcements, first capture the flag is set for next week Friday. Second, there is a new arrival, 'Percy Jackson'."

This seemed to be the cue for everyone to stand up with their plates, then the plates were suddenly full of food. Out of the chaos of so many standing at once, orderly rows came to life, a person would put some of their food into the fire at the centre of the pavilion then move back to the table.

Only after a small hurried conversation did Percy comprehend what was happening, it was some way to praise the gods, Percy decided to burn his food for Mr.D.

Sometimes time late Percy wanted to scream in frustration, the plates could just create any food he imagined. He had spent thousands of hours cooking and this plate could make whatever he wanted on a whim, what the fuck!

To add to his mounting frustration Percy prediction was unfortunately true. He didn't feel very comfortable at the loud and boisterous table, he didn't feel an irrational need or any inclination to join in and the numerous conversations despite Luke's best attempts.

Percy knew he was introverted, he didn't find enjoyment when spending time with large groups of people, the more people there were or the more unfamiliar they are the less fun he could have.

Everyone that he ever had a meaningful relationship could not get past the idea that someone would prefer to be alone, and they would always try to change him, 'it will be really fun', 'you just need to give it a try'. Spoiler alert, he didn't have fun and from the general vibe of the table, it would just be another group of people uncomfortable with the concept that someone didn't find their company enjoyable.

Percy just sighed, long ago he realised that was human nature when someone was different people try to have them change, especially adults who rationalise the difference is unhealthy. He could see it, children would just point and make fun at things making them uncomfortable because they are different, but adults had grown up, most understood that pointing and making fun did not fix that feeling of uncomfortableness from things and people who are different.

Percy was not going to make himself uncomfortable for the sakes of others comfort, so as he sat alone at the end of the table, he was left to hope that he gets put into a cabin before it came to blows.

Percy chose just to eat some simple fruit and veg so he could focus on finding what is off kilter, he might have something more substantial later, if he was still hungry. When he finished the broccoli he figured it out it is, the demigods, they all have normal amounts of water in them but Percy knew he would have a devil of a time trying to control it.

He could maybe 5 or 6 seconds of full body control before he would completely collapse like in the early days, or a minute if it is just a hand, and completely forget about any distance control and that was not including any atrophy.

That expedient solution led Percy to question why. The only others he could not affect this way where Chiron, Grover and Miss. Dodd's or Alecto, it would always be Miss. Dodd's to Percy. He could not control them at all though, given Miss. Dodd's had no water to control but Chiron and Grover do and Percy spent a month trying before giving it up as a bad job.

He let the information swirl around his brain as he finished off his fruit and veg, he found if he tried to force an answer it would never come. He was just sipping on his second glass of water when he came to an adequate conclusion, it is to do with a beings closeness to the mystical world. Chiron and Grover from there conception where part of the mystical world and Percy could not use mystical powers inside them because of this.

In contrast, the mortals have no connection to the mystical world, making the only limiting factor how much water was actually in their blood. As the name implies Diem-Gods are the midway point they don't have complete protection but they are not completely vulnerable.

Percy idly wondered how it would hold when he tested it with the rest of the mystical world, as he got some more fruit and veg. Percy was not so much a vegetarian he didn't really care about what his food was before it was food, it was more than things like meats are just more difficult to eat.

After dinner Percy followed the cabin to the lake and then an actual cabin, inside was cramped beyond belief, there were several tables devoid of people suggesting that those cabins where empty. It was not like Percy had ignored Chiron the last year, he gathered each cabin was for each gods kids, but that didn't stop him wondering what the harm would be if they sent some kids here over to Zeus' or Poseidon's cabin.

Thinking on Poseidon's cabins he would probably have to check but Percy was confident that he had Poseidon heritage, it would be nice to have a solo cabin. Percy decided he screw that plan, all the people here can be left to suffer and he would go to cabin 3.

Something fluffy hit Percy's face, it stopped his musing and brought him back to the world, there was a pillow on the ground in front of him, then looking up there was Luke smirking at him.

"So are you coming in or not?" Percy looked around the room dubiously; he bit the inside of his cheek.

"Why are there so many extra campers in your cabin?" Percy knew the question was not personal but he could not help but feel it was very.

"Well, we have all of the unclaimed campers and all of the demigods from minor gods as well." Percy looked at him confusedly.

"Oh, that makes scenes god of travellers and all, but why don't you get a god to enlarge the space so you're not as cramped?" Luke looked at Percy with a half-sad smile and half bitter scowl.

"That would mean that they actually have to care for their kids." Percy was hesitant to do anything after that proclamation, but it did confirm he didn't want to stay in the room.

x

Luke was about to frown in concern. Had he somehow broke the new camper, it was a lot to try to take in, but better he realises it now than a few years down the track after having his hope ground to dust.

The reply had Luke blinking in surprise, "does it rain or snow here?"

Luke was not the councillor of the largest cabin for good reason, he could keep track of most of them some the time, and Percy was unwilling to have human interaction, maybe he was a child of Hephaestus they were usually the least outgoing.

This lack of human interaction meant he had not found out from another camper, meaning he had an amazing ability to guess random information or he could deduce like a child of Athena, Luke would consider that as well, they are very reclusive, but his features were distinctly different to all the Athena kids.

"you are correct, but why do you ask?" Luke was rather indignant about his next actions, and the general anti-socialness of his plan.

X

Percy used the lake water to raise the futon that Luke gave him as a mattress to the roof, as he did this Percy described his plan of sleeping on the roof, his plan was met with a disbelieving look and exclamation from Luke, after that he decided it was time to do something a bit flashy.

So he solidified his second skin to a few critical balance points, under each foot, small of his back, completely around his pelvis, then used the solidified water to levitate him to the roof, Luke never let up on his disbelieving look until Percy finally made contact with the roof.

"I have no words," was the parting comment from the leader of cabin 11, the bemused grin removed all bite from the comment. It was not much later when, Percy fell asleep on the roof just reminded of the carpet outside Sally's apartment, some days sally would not let him in, forcing him to sleep in the hallway outside the apartment.

Percy woke up with the first crack of dawn sun glaring down on him, sleeping on the roof gave no protection against the sun and no chance to sleep in, which probably helped him today, Dionysus did say 'first light'. So Percy went to the Big House, to start in his education of Mist Control.

Percy sat silently as he got his first lesson in Mist Control, Mr D started, "There is nothing all that inherently special about Mist Control, but there are a few important things that you should be aware of when using the Mist. First, where it comes from, it is actually a by-product of Chaos."

Percy gulped at the realisation that there is the rest of the hierarchy, if there are Gods then there are Titans, and there are Primordials.

Mr D continued, "For an explanation that will not take decades, the Mist is a manifestation of the shadow of his aura, there are some shenanigans with Hecate but explaining that would also take centuries. Dew to your tenuous connection to Chaos you have the power to manipulate it."

"This idea helps explain the second thing you need to understand is, the Mist is 'lazy' it just covers up the immortal business as simple as it can, if you have a sword out a mortal will most likely look like a gun. Nice and simple, it will not by itself-make the sword be seen as a giant hot dog."

Percy could hear some anger in his tone before it goes back to normal. "Really the only thing you need is focus, focus on what you want the world to look like, some find it is helpful to focuses if an action or words, other than that it is practice, practice and more practice, come back if you think you get any success, if there is none comeback in a week."

Percy didn't know what happened with a hotdog and a sword and did have the good scents not to pry, but he that it somewhat put the lesson off track.

Percy's thoughts were interrupted by a rumble of his stomach. After that tiring morning, Percy could not bother to keep his second skin up as he made his way to the pavilion in search of food, he thought about Mr D's explanation, it sounded somewhat how he used his water powers he willed the water to do something, and it does.

So sitting at the table he did that, changing the fork to a spoon and it worked the fork looked like a spoon, but when he reached down to touch it went back to a fork. He was halfway through some blue waffles, they were better than he ever made them When Chiron came cantering up,

The centaur sat down on the other side of the table literally no one else was at the pavilion. Percy could not blame them, the sun was still low in the sky and if he was not up at sunrise to learn Mist Control then he would be asleep as well, conveniently forgetting he was sleeping on the roof.

X

Chiron was pleasantly surprised to see that Percy was an early riser until he realised that meant Dionysus was teaching him Mist Control, now would be a good time to find out how that was going so with no one around to see it and call favouritism.

Chiron approached the table to see the boy was eating blue waffles, well at least he is an individual was the thought before Chiron took a seat so he would be face to face with the boy. After getting a bowl of cereal for himself having the milk appear in his glass the cup so he could pour it in the cereal himself, he sat there contemplatively waiting for Percy to start the conversation.

Some time passed, just enough to show Chiron that if the child wanted to he could sit there all day without saying anything, before literally being asked about the favouritism.

"Why did you spend a year watching me?" Percy asked with an indecipherable expression.

Chiron held in his small chuckle at the turn of events due to the seriousness answer. Of Course, the answer is 'you have the aura of a child of the big three', but Chiron could not actually say that unless he was willing to explain the prophecy.

Chiron had watched the boy for eight months at this point and was going to have a hard time convincing Percy that he needs to help and deal with the lightning bolt.

If he found out there was a prophecy about when he would turn 16 reasonably well he was resourceful he would end up reading it one way or another, and after that he knew that Percy would definitely not stick around, or he would have both sides in a bidding to see what he should do to Olympus.

"That is none of your concern," Chiron knew he was stalling, but after the game of Pinochle he knew the child could read him, so stalling was his best option that this point in time.

He got an unimpressed look for the effort, Percy then asked one word that almost had his facepalming "ever?".

Wondering about the best way to answer he continued the stalling tactic, "what do you mean Percy?"

The flat look Percy gave back had Chiron torn, he was weighing up the immediate future if he did not give a satisfactory response then Percy would definitively refuse to do anything with the lightning bolt.

On the other side was the distant future, if he gave to many ways then Percy would find out about the prophecy, so with the best balance Chiron answered "16, nothing to concern yourself with till 16."

They just sat in silence, Chiron occasionally taking a bite of his breakfast having forgotten why he originally came over.

X

Percy sat intently staring at the centaur hoping he could somehow glean more information from the teacher about the mystery that he was now facing.

Up until a voice reminding him of his mother broke his concentration, "there you are, I guess I should give you the tour now."

It was the blond from yesterday being trailed by a bunch of look-alike's it was somewhat unnerving seeing a bunch of people with the same identifying features, blond hair and grey eyes.

X

Annabeth's cabin group split off to a table when she made her way over to the duo. Annabeth was a tad miffed that the new kid was having breakfast with Chiron, she only ever got one on one time with him when she finally became the leader of her cabin, he was not even here one day and already getting special treatment.

Annabeth's unpleasantness was not stopped by Percy but perpetuated. She showed him all around camp, 'lava rock wall climbing, volleyball, canoeing, archery and the arena' but she just was not into it at the start.

That translated into Percy not being interested, his lack of interest darkened her mood, this was her home, the most interesting place in the world.

He literally failed to give a shit, they were his words "I fail to give a shit."

This made her mood even darker, with her terrible mood he felt justified to make mocking and sarcastic comments, "Oh, joy a place to get some cooked demigod."

This self-perpetuating cycle came to a head near the end of the tour, Percy used Mist Control to have Annabeth trip over a rock, he gave an extremely exaggerated giggle then looked down on her.

When their eyes met he said in a monotone, "it is mean to mock others misfortune."

Annabeth felt like crap as she watched him walk off, she stood up then started heading back to the pavilion, there was still time to get a late breakfast. Yesterday she saw him getting along with Mr D and it ruffled her, there was no one who that drunken waste of space didn't rub the wrong way.

Seeing one of the pliers of her home break down, so she saw nothing wrong with laughing at him for falling over, but now maybe she should apologise, it would be the right thing to do.

X

Dionysus was young in terms of immortals, he had been alive for 4 millennia but he was the newest Olympian every time he sat in his throne and looked at Aphrodite it reminded him that he is sitting in Hestia's throne, there are no two ways about it.

There was something about the kid that made him able to put it out of his mind, maybe it was the fact he could Control the Mist after just a few hours of practice and one lesson.

Chiron liked to teach by having his students come to their own conclusion with a little nudge here and a prod there he had seen it whenever he bothered to watch. Dionysus had been dealing with himself for millennia and so he knew himself, he did not have the patience for that so he explained it as best he could and let the kid go from there.

To say he felt immensely smug at this turn of events would be an extreme understatement, Chiron words "I have been teaching demigods for millennia." Chiron proudly stated that once 500 years or so ago he had thought Mist Control to a child of Hecate in two days, with a bit of prodding he explained that she had already been well versed in the powers of her heritage and she found Mist Control a lot like Mystiokinesis.

Well in the first ever kid he trained he got results in one day, the kid was nowhere near proficient even if a mortal were to give intense scrutiny to one of his manipulations it would not hold up, so till lunch, Dionysus had the child practice.

As midday came around, he had satyrs bring them over some lunch, over he explained the finer points of the art before sending the boy off so he could gloat to Chiron.

X

Clarisse rushed breakfast when she saw that the new kid was having a tour, the end of a tour would be a great opportunity to show him his place, she brought some of her more trusted cabin mates to the ambush spot, they could take care of Annabeth when she was going to show the new guy his place.

The tour did not end, so when the lunch bell rang Clarisse decided that she was going to get some answers.

They were not very forthcoming, when she asked Annabeth, "what happened to the new guy?"

The response was morose, "I should apologise."

Thoroughly creeped out by the non-answer and put off by the fact the new guy was not present for lunch, she decided that a walk around the lake was in order.

Spotting her quarry lying on the roof of a cabin was an opportunity too good to pass up she rushed back to her cabin to find there was only one of her trust, that should be enough to get her up there.

X

Percy was just relaxing as his mind was bombarded with information, after so much time using his sensing powers he could tell a lot about the world around him.

He could tell the wind was moving the air about three times quicker outside the boundary.

He could tell where the beach ends and the ocean starts.

He could tell where every fish was in the lake and their size.

He could tell about half the people where at the pavilion the others scattered around the camp.

It was really odd, he could feel where every molecule of water was, so depending on how close they are or how far apart he could comprehend what was in the space, furthermore, he could tell what speed and direction each molecule was moving.

A person was odd he could see the veins as dense streams of water around a somewhat sparse area, then changing to moderately dense denoting it was air and today was humid.

The lake and small part of the ocean were amazing, all the molecules so close together he could barely comprehend them as an individual but still, he could see the swirl of the currents and then suddenly a break in the density it was a fish.

The lava was a complete void and somewhat troubling.

As Percy lay on top of the roof let the knowledge come in one side and leave the other he pondered the new information he gathered at lunch, Dionysus didn't have any water in him, so was having water limited to humans and half humans.

Another thing, the term Aura came up again, considering the simplified version said 'the Mist is the shadow of Aura of the most powerful being in existence' and could be controlled.

Percy wondered if he could interact with the Aura of other mystical beings or his own, definitely something to inquire about.

A frown of displeasure marred Percy's face when he felt something hard crack the side of his head, why the fuck did that hurt so much, then he remembered he didn't have his second skin on, his eyes snapped open with understanding.

He was looking at the buffest girl he had ever seen, amending that he was looking at the buffest person he has ever seen in real life, she had brown eyes and hair, and that was all he could make out before she yelled, "get up twerp, it is time to learn your place."

Percy got up rubbing the side of his head with a wry smirk, "underneath of course."

At her confused look he assumed that the innuendo went over her head, "wait, your giving up?" her voice sounded somewhat strained, Percy thought through his options.

He could explain sex innuendos to a girl who is looking about a year older than him.

Or he could just not fight, and with fighting was off the table because he really could not find the shits he would need to fight.

He sat back down, "no it's a beautiful day," Percy nodded his head to the horizon, used Mist Control to enhance the reds and oranges of the sunset.

After a quick quiz and a few moments of contemplation she declared, "next time I will beat you to a pulp new kid."

Percy gave her a charming smile oddly reminiscent of the man who screwed up his life, "most likely," at her bewildered look he expanded, "nerve count out the unexpected, you could get hit by a truck." After the warning, Percy gave a solemn nod, then laid back down.

With his concentration of sensing water molecules broke, Percy's mind wondered and as the time passed he wished there was a phone here he to pass the time or, one of the ones he stole, unfortunately, he never kept any of them that long.

He had noticed the lack of technological devices, at camp. He became well whereof the usefulness and potential joy of such tools could offer, during a brief period where he stayed with a well-off foster family. After being ripped away by the government, Percy was put with one of the usual foster families that did not have money to spare technology and after the sharp contrast between having the technology and not having it, Percy was definitely on the side of having the technology.

So for Percy to see a camp full of kids around his age he was surprised by the lack of mobile phones, he understood that technology lest monsters sense them easier.

More importantly in his mind was the logic that they are protected by a border, So it should not matter whether the monsters could sense them or not, they were protected.

X

Clarisse did not know what to think, no one had ever declined to fight her, given mostly she never gave them a chance, and even after he gave up she was still planning on pummelling the dweeb until she saw the sunset.

The site was truly magnificent, she looked back to the horizon, the moment had passed, it was no longer as radiant as a few minutes ago.

What was that parting comment 'you could get hit by a truck', at least he's funny? The absurdity of it had her struggling not to break out in hysterics.

X

Lou Ellen Blackstone is a daughter of Hecate.

Even if her Mystokinesis was not the best.

Or she could not do any Mist Control.

And she was still unclaimed.

This morning she noticed that the new kid slept on the roof, thinking it was a grand idea she decided to leave the cramped interior of the cabin for the space to be found on the roof it's not like it could rain.

That night she had the new kid looking down on her with a bemused smile at his introduction, "hi I'm Percy explorer extraordinaire and welcome to…" he cut off mid-sentence.

Lou did not know if she was meant to introduce herself at this point but before she could reach a decision, "… no, I can't think of a good name."

There was a moment of tense silence as he looked to her for an answer, "Well, most fair of maidens, as you are the first of the population you shall decide the name of this domicile."

Lou blushed at the compliment, "I'm Lou, Percy explorer extraordinaire and this place shall here forth be known as 'the roof'."

She heard the movement denoting that Percy began to lie down, "So you know you don't have to call me by my title perky is fine. Brilliant name, 'the roof', short simple descriptive, so you know I didn't actually expect anyone to follow me, can we please agree the population be capped at three?"

Lou smiled at being included, so she easily agreed "yes."

There was calm silence for some time Lou was tentative to talk encase he fell asleep, so when he talked again she was a little startled, "so tell me about yourself, I only have a mum meaning my godly half will be male, how about yourself?"

From there the conversation was smooth, she talked about her family before suddenly devolving into a rant about her mother, Lou didn't hide her thoughts and feelings of being a disappointment but no one ever asked her about it and she never brought it up at camp.

It was very personal after all, only after she shared did she understand why it was a bad idea, she had told her dad and he would always say a thing "it's crazy for thinking your mother doesn't care."

Percy began by heaving a large breath, "I have not been here that long but I have given it a lot of thought, I didn't know your mother's reasoning, but to try to understand the reasoning without her here would be an exercise in futility."

Then he continued his explanation, "there is a very big difference between a mortal life and an immortal life, I want you to think about this they have to watch things forever changing, empires rise and fall, what about how much quicker time must seem to move to them. They have been alive for 4000 years, let's say 12 years for us, that is about…" as Percy stopped to do the math in his head.

She did the math Quicker, "333 times faster." She whispered the answer starting to comprehend the vastness of this idea.

"Yer, exactly what feels like one day to us is about the equivalent of a year to them, imagine that it reverse, it would be like having a child that that when from a baby to our age in 12 days."

He took another break and took some deep breaths, she knew this on a subconscious level, having it brought to the front of her thoughts was something that she realised she was avoiding since she first came to camp.

"I would hazard a guess that it is not so much that your mother had judged you and found you unworthy, it would seem your mother has just not judged you at all. Whether that is because she is trying to protect herself from your eventual death, or maybe she completely forgot she had a child or a million other reasons remain to be seen."

This did not help her confidence in the situation, she actually started to panic at the idea that her mother would never find the time to claim her, as if reading her mind he answered her concerns, "it is what it is."

This still did not help, it was only because but Percy being completely unaware of her turmoil and just power through to the next topic, taking her mind from depressing thoughts about asking of her future plans.

X

Percy woke up thinking he was looking in a mirror until he noticed that the face he was looking at was Lou Ellen Blackstone, she had green eyes almost the same shade as his.

"Time to wake up, I put a spell around the roof to block the sunlight, it is time to get breakfast." Percy in a sleep full state, so he just followed Lou to the table, it was only after he smelt the bacon on his plate he woke up properly.

After breakfast Percy headed back to Mr.D, Mr D had him show his development to Chiron, having Chiron completely shocked by Percy's rapid progress. Left Mr D in a giddy state. Not having a better opportunity Percy asked, "You talk about Aura a lot but can you give more of an explanation?"

The god looked at Percy contemplative for some time, "kid I like you, you ask the best questions. But there is a skill that is learnt when you learn about Auras it is just the way it is, it takes time to develop the skill, time you should spend on Mist Control, but I will give you a deal if you do something really impressive with the mist I will teach you about Auras."

Percy was not sure whether to be chagrined with the prospect of having to learn a skill to find out about Aura's or pumped for a new skill. It was a simple question after all.

Percy ended up spending the rest of the day and then an evening with Mr D practising Mist Control, apparently, there is no upper limit what could be done, but it had the problem of diminishing returns so to see the same level of improving it took about 3 times more time.

The first hour is about equal to the next 3 which is equal to the next 9. So in the full day, Percy had become 3 times better but it would only get more difficult from here.

With centuries of experience and skill Hestia had apparently tricked the mortals into thinking Atlantis sunk when it was just completely fine, she did it with the mist.

Everything oddly reminded him of Louis and the art of misdirection, Mr D had the same no-nonsense of fluffy teaching style or he was just making connections where there were none.

Both practices do change the way people understand what is happening around them.

After dinner

Annabeth had worked up the nerve to go apologise, so after dinner at the amphitheatre she sat down next to him.

"Hi how is it going?" his cheery question caught her off guard letting him continue, "So what's happening, and why didn't this place come up on the tour?"

She took a deep breath hoping he would not speak again, "this is the amphitheatre, it is the last place I was going to show you in the tour, you have not seen the stables either. This place is where the more important announcements are given and Chiron tells us of the heroes of old." She could not keep the slight bitterness out of her voice, from the moment she realised that those stories were not just myths and legends she wanted one of her own.

She banished those thoughts she was not here to grouse, she opened her mouth to start the apology. But he leant forward intently staring at the fire, "it has changed colour three times, why?"

"The fire represents the general mood of the campers." Annabeth answered, "getting back on track, I owe you an apology. It was wrong of me to laugh at your misfortune."

She got a perplexed look, before another heaved sigh. "No." Annabeth attention was grabbed as he ran his hands over his face. "Can we move outside I need to gather my thoughts to explain this properly?" she wordlessly agreed and they moved to a place where the noise from the amphitheatre is just a dull murmur.

He started to pace, "So first, thanks for the Apology, second Laughing at my misfortune was not what you did wrong. In all honesty that was a pretty funny face plant, but when it happened, without help and your laughter had me feeling bad."

"I don't have the right to tell you something is not funny, you could have a sadistic streak a mile wide and you get happiness from making others feel bad but unless you make me feel bad there is no reason I should stop you anything benign or sadistic."

"The apology should be for making me feel worse rather than any malice humour on your part. The settlement carries either way." He stopped pacing then looked at intensely, "thoughts I bad at verbalising my inner monologue, come on let's get back."

Annabeth was in a state of unsureness for the next few days as she attempted to understand what Perry meant by his word vomit.

X

"He is a bit odd, but there is so much room," Lou begged Chris.

He was her friend, they both got to the camp at the same time and bonded over being the worst at training.

Lou is not being entirely sincere, most of her desire for having Chris is as a that is that she would not be alone with Percy. Percy was charming with the medieval stick, by Lou was not going to take the risk of another world bending realisation.

Lou did not have an easy time of it but she eventually convinced Chris of the virtues of space. So that night there where 3 people on the roof.

"So will you introduce me to your friend?" Percy asked Lou, referencing Chris.

Lou cringed, "This is Chris Rodriguez." She knew Chris and he would not like this, he was odd about speaking for himself.

Chris reached out his hand, "it is nice to meet you, Percy Jackson."

Percy took the stretched hand, "nice to meet you. Just Percy though." He made the last bit sound like a demand. Chris would not like that either.

To say they didn't get along would be an understatement of epic proportions, but there were no arguments so Lou still counted it as a victory.

Better having Chris continually through verbal jabs at Percy and Percy ignore them than dealing with another world bending realisation. She was still trying to understand why the gods ever did anything to help them.

After Percy disappeared going against direct orders from Luke did Chris complain. "He is such a prick it is like he purposely refuses to do anything, and the way he blew off Luke." Lou listened to this all the way to breakfast now she was regretting not getting a different camper.

Chris's problem was just as easy to figure out as it was unsolvable, even though Chris did not state if he didn't like Percy because Percy didn't listen to him. She remembered being new to camp, she was so nervous the only thing that made her feel better was that Chris was even worse.

That nervousness manifested in following instructions, they would do anything an older kid asked them to do it was time at camp that mattered. So Chris is faced with the opposite he went with, 'the dislike what is different.'

Thinking about it Lou did have some resentment over his lax attitude, coupled with Chris's constant complaining and her difficulty with a new worldview fighting for dominance over her old one the resentment grew.

If Percy didn't come then she would not have to listen to Chris and she much preferred her old worldview.

X

Percy death glared Luke, the fucker snitched on him.

Percy was learning an advanced technique called tethering where you connected an Illusion to an object it was easy to create but difficult to make last.

Percy was getting the tether to last about two minutes when Chiron interrupted, "Perseus would you please come with me, Luke has requested your presence." Even though it was phrased like a question Percy new better so he begrudgingly went along after, finding Mr D would not back him.

Percy ended up at the arena, he followed Chiron through the horde of people. They were everywhere hacking at straw dummies or each other. Each moment Percy spent in the arena he expected one of them to start screaming in agony having lost an arm or some other appendage.

"Ah, you finally showed up, best get you some gear." Luke said when he saw Percy, Luke turned to the table before him, "today we are doing sword practice for CTC."

Percy knew it would be good to learn how to fight, and he still had the sword he refused to return to Chiron. Maybe he would actually be ok with it, having skills is never a bad thing.

Percy knew from experience people did not like his powers and even if these people where mystical it did nothing for his leant wariness.

If Percy was currently forced to fight he would be forced to reveal his powers.

After Chiron left, "It's fine, I got it." Percy said interrupting Luke's search, Percy pulled out his Pen Sword and uncapped it.

Luke turned, he looked appraisingly at the weapon, "that's a good sword, but you still need armour and a shield, here." Luke passed over a shield that was at least a meter in diameter. The second Luke let go of the shield, it dragged Percy on to the ground.

Percy could not even lift the shield on the ground to switch with the next one Luke handed over. After a few more tries they found one that was an ok in Percy's opinion. It was smaller than the rest of them offering less protection but he could actually carry it.

Of course then Luke continued the assault on Percy's maximum carry load by covering Percy in armour. Percy muffled his indignation at it he had a perfectly good second skin of water that he kept up constantly. Percy did prefer his secrets and he had not actually tested his water against celestial bronze, so it might be a complete waste or a life saver.

Percy ended up being 'beaten' by Chris the entire morning.

After a short break, he lost Chris's attention so he removed his amour and faced off against most other people, In the cabin.

This brought some things to his attention. First, he underestimated Chris's attitude, Chris was mad really mad Percy might not be alive if he didn't have ADHD level mad, and Percy knew better than to think anything would change.

So he considered going and sleeping it in the lake, it could be like the fountains he slept in during the summer, when he was not wanting to deal with another foster home. Of course, summer always ended or he would get found and Percy would end back to the Department Of Child Services for a new foster home.

Another thing is without having Armour in the way, he found that his second skin of water was good, it was difficult to concentrate on the fight and have the skin condense to block the strike that connects. So most of the time it would heal the minor nicks and cuts, but without Armour weighing him down Percy had the agility to dodge anything life-threatening.

It was only with a fancy move from Luke where he disarmed Percy and had his own sword to Percy's neck did it happen, from all the time Percy spent it the water he instinctually condensed it at the blade. It was after Luke stepped back did the water go back to usual, well a given value as usual for water that clung to a human rather than follows the laws of gravity.

Then Percy stopped interacting with other people because he had put Pen Sword away.

Canoeing was the first thing after Sword's, Percy made everybody capsize, they probably spent more time in the water than out of it.

Archery was next, Percy was shit at it he could not hit a target to save his life when he tried to use the ambient water in the air to guide the arrow but doing that he couldn't focus on where he was shooting cancelling out the positive effect of the water.

Percy's failure just gave him more time to mess with things, just because he didn't have the mental flexibility to help his own arrows and shoot, didn't mean he didn't have the flexibility to mess with other peoples arrows and he could mess with more than one at ones. It was a guaranteed drama when two peoples arrows collided, Percy was pretty sure he ended up destroying a friendship that day.

From the circumspect glances from Chiron, Percy concluded that he was suspicious. But when the old horseman did nothing Percy bemoaned that he restrained himself the past year at Yancey. If Percy had known Chiron's reaction to Percy using water powers even discrete ones like with the arrows, was going to be a non-reaction Percy could have had a really entertaining year.

Percy looked at the lava wall with a sneer, they had to spend an hour hear after lunch.

Not actually wanting to deal with any guilt societally ingrained or not, Percy that being a direct cause of death that he would feel awful for the next few hours until he could properly compartmentalize it, and be a little off for the next few days not worth messing around with the Lava Rock Wall. Making that the worst part of his day because boring for Percy.

Percy was dragged into a Volleyball game to his verbal protests and declarations of sabotage. So unfortunately for the team, he was forced on there was no other option than to go throw with his threats of sabotage. His team lost every game Nil – 15. After his meddling, Percy was informed that he was benched tomorrow.

During dinner Percy sat next to Lou, this got him the endless enmity of Chris even if he didn't notice Chris's constant glare. That dinner Percy learnt that the amphitheatre would happen every night from now on now they were getting back into the swing of things.

After dinner, Percy skipped the amphitheatre and headed over to Dionysius.

Mist Control was continually becoming better and better the more he improved and learnt the better it got. Percy had come up with hundreds of ways to look after himself No government, no Foster home, no sally even if that option passed long ago.

It would be great but only if Percy could Mist Control.

The rest of the night Percy did Tethering. By the time he got back to the cabin, both his roof mates where asleep.

That left Percy to ponder, it was startling for himself when he concludes he could not relax.

Percy had not noticed with his near fanatical practising of Mist Control, but on the roof with no distractions and just his thoughts, he could feel the tension in his muscles. And it was not like he couldn't blame himself, years of knowing he could force anyone around him to do anything is an unprecedented level of safety.

No wonder Percy stopped waterpower's cold turkey when faced with someone who threatened that security. Here at camp, the security is completely ripped away. Percy's amazed he could even sleep the last two nights, would he be able to sleep tonight.

As it happened Percy did go to sleep after spending ten minutes jumping at shadows.

A week later

So the rest of Percy's week fell into a 'comfortable' routine, for a given value of comfortable. Wake up and do a little Mist control with Mr D stating a lesson than being dragged to cabin eleven for some stupid activities, lunch, more activities and dinner.

After the day's dinner, Percy would skip the amphitheatre and headed over to Dionysius and get a bit of Mist Control practice, usually finishing the lesson from the morning.

It was Capture the flag that through the routine.

Percy had no idea where Luke found the log that he was currently pacing on, the log was a good place to be giving his impassioned speech from, "the last week was strenuous I know, but now is our time to shine, it is the first game of the summer winning it mean…" Percy tuned out the cabin leader acting like a commander of some military force.

If there was anyone that should be doing a speech it's probably one of the Athena kids, Percy quickly became aware that the children of a god have talents that reflect the domains of the god. So the Athena kids should be the ones to devise the plans, the tour guide girl stepped up on the log, "… with numbers on our side we can't lose!" Luke finished strong, will strong for a teenager. Before anyone had time to applaud Annabeth cut in "Just because we have the numbers does not mean we don't need a plan…"

Percy tuned her out just the same as luke, he didn't care what they wanted him to do, he had no investment in Cabin 11 winning, he already decided that he was going to walk the river no matter what they say. He did wonder if they worked on that transition it sounded just corny enough to be practised, "Percy."

Percy looked up it was some kid that called him, the cabins had separated and Percy didn't notice, 11 was standing around the kid, he must be one of Athena's, he had the typical blond hair and grey eyes. The kid started reading from a sheet seeing he had Percy's attention, "Percy you are to scout the river, Conner and Travis…"

Percy tuned them out it was odd how things turned out, he would not look this gift horse in the mouth, he was fully planning on getting a lecture about team spirit and working together.

A few hours later

It was oddly calming.

Percy was strolling up the creek, to call it a river is an exaggeration. There wasn't the creek that was doing the calming. It was the sounds of distant battle, Percy had no idea why he could relax, but having the far-off clanging of swords and shields did it.

It was the first time since he realised that he could not control Grover that he was at peace, even his dreams were tense.

His tranquillity didn't last there was a voice up ahead, "yer, take that." It was Clarisse.

Percy did end up fighting her, and still had the vivid memory of the terrible loss he wasted all his energy on trying to block her attacks by manipulating the water in her hand. After 30 seconds he ran out of energy dealing with, mystical heritage it forced a lot more out of him than expected.

He couldn't hold her off After that he ended up thoroughly electrocuted, the three mornings learning to fight having nothing on her years of experience.

He considered both changing his course or staying it, what should he do considering those around him would expect him to fight, it sort of made sense that if he were to fight anyone from the other team it would be Clarisse.

He felt the rush of white-hot rage at the idea he was manipulated, by that Annabeth bitch. The creek that was passively flowing around him turned in to a whirlpool with him as the centre, this didn't last for long, only about two seconds before Percy ruthlessly crushed the emotion, silently chanting "it is what it is."

Percy wanted people to accept him for him and if that would ever work out if he initiates it and that start by accepting that Annabeth is a manipulative bitch because she is the way she is and he has no right to interfere.

After a few deep breaths and the calming sound of distant battle Percy opened his eyes, Clarisse was standing on the river bank and had her spear up pointing just off Percy's head.

He tensed preparing to lose another fight until he saw her eyes were fixed directly behind him, he used his water sensing to try and find out what was going on.

There was a void, just like with miss Dodd's and the Minotaur it was the shape of the dog but the size of a jungle cat, a hellhound his mind supplied, all of Percy's second skin solidified in preparation.

X

Clarisse was having a grand time as she took down another Apollo kid, they're not much of a match up close.

Conner and Matthew had followed her up to this point, but it seemed her concerns were for naught, there was no ambush the mysterious note giver was genuine now she just had to find Percy.

She heard splashing from up the river, it was obviously Percy, or the note was a distraction.

"I've got it from here." She whispered to her companions, they disappeared back to the fight with the smallest of noise's taking the dismissal for what it is.

She carefully approached, spear and shield raised, where he was in the middle of the river, muttering to himself it was the site, to say the least. She was about to call out to him when she saw it, a hellhound bigger than any she had seen was stalking towards Percy.

Clarisse froze in her tracks.

If she called out in warning, it could get him, before he could get away. If she did nothing it would definitely get him. Her angered at the situation, she was a child of Ares dam it.

Her spear flew true, right over Jackson into a tree. The hound had dodged and was now in a lunge at him.

In a surprise move, Jackson rolled towards the hound, under the Lunge. This switched their positions reversed, Percy, standing on the bank and the hound in the river.

In the most amazing move of godly powers she had ever seen, the hound was crushed repeatedly on the bed of the river until it was just dust.

Chiron came out of the brush Bow and arrow raised still expecting a Hellhound. That actually gave her some relief, if it goes past Percy it would go for her next and she stupidly threw her spear away.

She looks towards the direction of her spear, but the glowing trident above Percy's head that drew her attention. So at least she imagines the display, Poseidon noticed as well.

With a sharp look from Chiron Clarisse rolled her eyes and kneeled, "Hail, Perseus Jackson, Son of the Sea God." Chiron declared to no one in particular. Clarisse hadn't spent that all much time with the old centaur, but she thought she heard hints of exasperation.

X

Percy smiled it was great, he didn't bother finishing the game of capture the flag. He had a cabin all to himself, and because he was the only one in there he automatically became cabin leader – he got his own dinner table, could pick all his own activities, and silence blissful all-encompassing silence.

Also, the forest burnt down. Who could have possibly guessed sticking a magical spear that creates electricity into a tree may be flammable, well not Clarisse or the 6 campers that got third-degree burns, but they should have guessed.

Percy, however, was very interested in 'the food of the gods', nectar and ambrosia. Seeing it heal injuries that would have need surgery and months of healing to be good as new in a matter of days.

Percy decided when time permits he would do more investigation.

Days later

The days were spent practising Mist Control with Mr.D and the occasional match up with Clarisse. The fights with Clarisse sort of became a game of how long could Percy last he was also under strict rules not to use his powers.

That rule became hypocritical when Percy understood why it was so much more difficult to move the water in a demigod during a fight rather than before after it.

The ADHD is a power and during a fight, it activates giving the Demigod, faster reaction times, higher endurance, it was like super adrenaline.

And as it is a mystical power it hindered Percy's ability to use his own mystical abilities.

Percy had wondered if Mr D was going to bring up the fact that he should not exist, but after days of nothing changing Percy thought that it would just not come up.

He was wrong, "Perseus, there you are." The chipper attitude was putting Percy on edge. "good news I won't turn you into a dolphin." This did not help Percy and his being on edge, so rather than the follow-up question 'why would I be turned into a dolphin'.

Percy went with the safe option, "what are we learning today?"

"nothing," was the reply Percy waited for Dionysus to expand, it was about a minute later, "I have taught you all you can do currently, any more you will have to discover for yourself."

"So, you said that that, after you would teach me Aura sensing. Couldn't we stat that now?"

"I did say that I would teach you to sense Aura next, but I have a council meeting and you have a quest." Percy heard the emphasis on 'you have a Quest' but didn't understand. Before he could ask Dionysus was gone leaving the scent of strawberries.

X

The spirit of Delphi didn't even have a brain or mind so one might be curious about how it could have the ability to wonder. It did wonder if the child in front of it was even listening to it, as it told the child about their future. Unfortunately for someone curious enough to question about the abilities of a mindless being given life through the will of fate, some questions are just never meant to have answers.

X

"You Don't Remember the Prophecy," Annabeth shouted, she was seething.

When Chiron said that she might be going on a quest she began Jumping for Joy. Grover appearing didn't dampen her mood but made it slightly cautious, she didn't know who the leader of the quest was, she should be fine if it was anyone but Clarisse.

When it was the new kid that came down the steps her caution turned to worry, he had only been around a little while. Percy was a child of the big three but could that makeup for years that leaders of a quest should have.

That worry turned to fully fledged fear when he flippantly declared that he didn't remember the Prophecy, he was going to doom the quest, her fear turned to anger, he had ruined her first quest.

"The lady said 'go west.' So I was thinking about what is west. Then it was over, she said other things but I was only thinking about the first line. It will be fine we will go west, find the bolt and get it back to the gods." His untenable logic was not helping her mood.

"No, you remember the Prophecy then think about the implications, that's the way it works." At his continuing blazer attitude, Annabeth turned to Chiron, cutting Percy out of the conversation. "Could he have been dropped on his head when he was little?" she asked Chiron in a stage whisper hoping for a reaction, she turned back to see that he was not even there, 'where did he go?'

Chiron must have known her internal question, "my dear, the second you stopped talking he wandered off." Then he gave her a conspiratorial wink, "best of luck, you will leave at first light."

She scowled Chiron had made a plan or some contingency and didn't tell her, and there was no way to get him to reveal what he did. So between the secrets and idiocy, she left the house many with more magnitudes of anger then the excitement she originally felt with the idea of the quest.

It is good that her curiosity of Chiron's plan was seated immediately, there was Percy obviously trying to get past Grover, Chiron must have invited Grover as well but had him wait outside, Annabeth hadn't given much thought to who the third member would be, but Grover is a good call on the part of Chiron.

"Really you will let me come?" Grover gushed

"well you did offer and it is easier than actually asking someone." Percy got around Grover at that

Annabeth decided to latch on to the opportunity, "can I be the third?"

Percy turned he mumbled something when he saw it was Annabeth that asked, then after a short pause, "ok. but when do we leave?"

"First light tomorrow," Annabeth answered dazedly, how did Chiron know that Percy was going to ask about that.

The next morning

Chiron wished he could do more, he was not deluded enough to think that this little spat would come to anything but he did have the experience to know that he would not want to deal with the bitching the gods would kick up if the demigods did not treat the event as a potential world-ending calamity.

He also knew Percy, and Percy would not treat a world-ending calamity like a world-ending calamity, that was why he stuck him with Annabeth and Grover, they would not be able to set him straight by a long shot, but they might be able to keep him in line.

Chiron just wished there was more he could help with. Luke giving the shoes seemed a bit pointless, Percy had already shown he could fly. In hindsight it was probably for the best that Percy kept Anaklusmos, Chiron had planned on giving it to Percy right before the quest left.

That would hinder more than help, the time he spent training with the correct sword could be invaluable, growing accommodated to the weight and reach in a safe environment rather than battle is always the wise course.

X

Annabeth rolled her eyes when their intrepid leader falls asleep on the bus.

When Grover freaked out she was surprised that he didn't wake from the commotion. When Grover explained the old lady was the recently dusted Alecto she considered waking Percy up.

Then she considered leaving him on the bus to deal with it.

So that is what she did, first wanting Grover safe she sent Grover forward. He drew her attention and the attention of the two lady's on the other row, she began to panic it was the three Furies. She had put Grover right into their trap.

Just before he got to being surrounded she stood up suddenly, "I'm Annabeth." She shouted drawing the attention of the whole bus including the furies and woke Percy, it worked Grover got passed. But proved to be a mistake when the Furies stated forward towards her, but not deterred by the attention she put on her cap and vanished.

This was the second part of her impromptu plan, and test for her leader, use her invisibility to get past after Grover and it worked like a charm. Leaving the three Furies with Percy.

When she got to the front of the bus Grover had forced the driver to do an emergency stop but as useful and out of character that is for him, all her attention was on the site in front of her.

The mortals were working together to restrain each of the Furies and in the cramped space of the bus Hades most feared minions couldn't do anything about it.

After a few minutes of struggle, the Furies relented. Annabeth was brought back to reality form the Percy clapping his hands and saying "excellent, let us interrogate these tourists"

Percy strode towards the front of the bus all the mortals, but those restraining the Furies flooded out taking Annabeth and Grover with them.

The flood ended with Percy stepping out of the bus last. But before the mortals and the Furies they were restraining could get out lightning came down, the bus exploded.

Annabeth didn't think that the depth of rage Percy showed in the moments after actually existed. The only part of fiction and fanciful tales. She could barely make out the insults he started to mutter at the king of the gods, with the mortals jabbering about the terrorist suicide bombers. It began something like "… Gods damn pig fucker… Zeus Holy … shit head … information … Blithering Fuck Berries."

Annabeth could not help but wonder where he learnt such vulgar language.

She was glad that he was calming down as they wandered through the town. Percy was in a light trance, Grover had to keep a hand on his shoulder the entire time to keep him moving or to stop him walking into traffic.

Just as it was becoming dusk when they got to a shop Percy stopped and headed in, Annabeth voiced her thought "We need to find an Inn before it gets too late."

Percy just ignored her and when in, Annabeth did need to go to the toilet what could it hurt if they spent a few minutes in there.

X

"Ahhhhhhhh." Grover turned away from the site.

When Grover was offered a place on a quest he agreed without hesitation or thought. It was a way to convince the council that he could search for Pan after all Chiron would not make him do anything that important. And there was the benefit that he would not be expected to continue to help with the cleanup.

He was no good when it came to the clean-up effort, one of a tree he tried to resurrect nymph turned in to mute and the tree was hollow. One of the other trees became semi-sentient because the nymph became on with the tree, it gained limited movement and could make a grunt sound.

"Ahhhhhhh." the scream sent chills up Grover's spine.

When he realised the quest was with Percy he almost turned around, screwing up the clean up must be better than any quest with the son of Poseidon. Grover spent a year protecting him and couldn't form an empathy link the entire time. The only thing that had him conforming to the stupid plan was that Annabeth was coming along. There was also that he didn't really expect Percy to agree.

Percy agreeing did throw him for a loop, hearing his explanation of 'it is easier' gave Grover relief. If the quest was serious, Percy would not get people just because 'it is easier'.

Grover's assumption was proved wrong the second Percy started torturing Medusa, "who told you I have the lightning bolt?" The demand was punctuated by her right leg being ripped from her body and joining the piles of other body parts behind him.

"Ahhhhhh." She screamed for the what felt like the thousands time too night, Grover's stomach turned

"What the fuck is going on here, I go to the toilet for a minute." Grover felt himself shrink under Annabeth's glare, he wanted to praise the gods when she rounded it on Percy. "We kill monsters we don't torture old lady's."

Grover could feel the condemnation from Percy before he even said anything, "if that's the case would you mind looking into her eyes I think she's getting cataracts." The venomous non sequitur pulled Annabeth up short, "no, scratch that, it's Medusa."

Annabeth's knife was in the back of her head before Grover realised what was happening.

As the monster turned to dust Grover felt the air grow heavy, Percy stood stock still Annabeth shifted so her side faced Percy and crouched into a defensive stance.

No one moved until the dust of Medusa's corpse dispersed and the knife fell to the ground with a clatter. Percy tilted his head looking slightly insane, and began muttering something under his breath.

This state of affairs didn't change, Percy slowly losing the anger of not helping the look sanity. When Percy finally spoke it was clear and caustic, completely opposite to his look of insanity. "No, let's not find out if the monster that thinks I have the lightning bolt will tell us where she found out that information, on the slim chance that the person who did steal it could actually be the one who is telling monsters that I stole it as a diversion."

Grover was forced to spend some time thinking over the comment, but Annabeth didn't wait, "better safe than sorry."

"What do you mean she presented no danger, I had complete control."

"Then what would happen when you lose control, using powers is exhausting."

"Really I didn't realise that when I use my powers I begin to feel tired, what an excellent observation."

Grover cut in at this point finely understanding Percy's logic and having a hard time disagreeing, but more importantly wanting to stop the in-group fighting. "let's just all go to bed, we will get moving tomorrow."

They both followed the suggestion, Grover fell asleep to Percy muttering under his breath.

3 days later

Percy had a great time on the train, even before he got on the train he was controlling the mist. With a simple mist tether, he convinced the ticket seller that the one dollar notes were 100's and got a luxury cabin for each of his companions.

It was a great time to relax between forcing the mortals to move with water manipulation and the mist control to make them think that the Furies where terrorists topped with what he did to Medusa he used about ¼ of his power but concentrating on the 6 mortals at the same time gave him a headache.

Percy spent most of his time sensing water, then whenever he had to leave the semi meditation he got a bit twitchy. It was what it was, he had to eat and sleep, but what if he missed a monster and lost the opportunity to solve the mystery.

Listening to the distracting drawl of Annabeth was no good, he didn't give a shit about the Saint Louis arch.

"So you want to go sightseeing?" Grover asked

Percy swallowed down the distaste he felt at forcing his control. He had been looking after himself for the longest time, looking after Grover and Annabeth was not an appealing prospect. And if he did this he would end up looking after them for the rest of the quest unless they could get themselves killed.

"No," Percy answered with an internal sigh, "you can go to the Saint Louis Arch at any point in your life, we only have 7 days to find and get the bolt to Olympus."

Percy could feel the change in the group dynamic, it no longer was just him trying to solve a mystery and failing to ditch his two tagalongs. It was a team where he was leading someone who disliked him bordering on hate with the way he just shut down her want. And a bumbling stalker, that least he was not slowing them down but still unable to contribute past a backpack full of junk.

"Can we please stop for some food?" no scratch that. He did slow us down, he has 5 meals a day just went unnoticed on the train.

"No, you just ate breakfast on the train not an hour ago, let's just get on another train and get going." It was an excruciating wait after he got the tickets. Percy couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to happen the entire time he used his sensory ability.

He got results about halfway through the wait, a monster appeared on the of the range of his ability. It stayed there for some time before moving, then just before he got on the train it came back with another one three times its size. From this distance, he couldn't tell it the second one had two heads or not, but they began to follow the edge of his sensing, the bigger one in the lead.

They were a quarter around the circle when the train finally started moving.

X

Echidna grimaced as she had just wasted a day, it was not that concerning to her, she was an immortal being she had an infinity of days, it was the principal of the thing.

There was the demigod scent that just disappeared. It was new to her, the way it left, there's usually a trail but the scent was there one moment and they're gone the next.

When his scent was first there she could find the edge of it but as she headed in it was evenly spread unlike anything she had ever experienced, so she went to find the Chimera. The Chimera was always better with scent stuff then her, that's why she was fine to follow as it led her around the edge of the scent.

And that's what put her in her current state of having an unhappy child in a city full of disgusting mortals.

X

Annabeth was thinking about the progress they made, they got here to Denver in a week and that was rather good considering the Furies and Medusa slowing them down. But not knowing where west they are meant to be going was eating at her, they only had a week left, what if they needed to get halfway around the earth, then getting to Denver is pointless, and they should have let Percy fly no matter the risks.

A hoot made Annabeth Jump in her seat, it was a pure grey owl. She had to blink a few times, it was really an owl, awake at this time, got to be something Mystical, and not a moment later she was proven correct.

It opened its beak in time with the words making it look like it was saying, "Down to the Depths of the dead." It only took moments for Annabeth to figure it out. It was a message from her mom answering the question, of their final destination. "The Underworld" she whispered the realisation and it echoed ominously, sending chills up her spine.

That Afternoon

Ares smirked as he entered the dinner, the three demigods were here just perfect. He did need his shield collected, and he didn't want to deal with whatever crazy scheme Hephaestus cooked up this time. The smirk grew just a bit when he saw the Jackson kid negligently wave off the waitress with Mist Control, it was a lot more interesting when those who are accused could actually do what they're accused of.

He had already found the bolt and who stole it, expect nothing less of a herms kid, but that plan was worthy of Athena.

Ares sat down the kid didn't even twitch, that was odd, there were some that were not affected by his Passive aggression increase, all the beings more powerful were not affected, and then those with years of control end experience like Chiron.

But never one so young, then there was something in his side.

The girl had tried to push him, it was a pitiful push he looked down at her she was in a rage. He would probably be stabbed at this point, if she was thinking clearly, this was abysmal for a daughter of Athena. She was rather calm at the start, checking himself his Passive aggression increase was up a few notches.

It was the kid, he was trying to get a reaction out of him and it didn't work the kid was like a statue. The Satyr jumping into the table made it clear that this conversation would not work. So purposely Ares lowered the aggression, it was only a flash the kids face relaxed but it was a victory nonetheless. The kid was effected.

"So your Barnacle Beards Boy?"

Ares' smirk was mimicked back, "just Percy."

"Ok, just Percy there's a thing I need retrieving. You will find it in the water park."

X

Percy surveyed the pool with a critical eye, there was nothing wrong not a cracked tile or a dole surface, it was wrong just in a different way.

He stretched out his sensors for a body of water when he didn't find one so he condensed just enough from the air to try and move the shield. But on contact with the mystical Surface, he lost control of the water, it took all his willpower to not run down there and start testing the new discovery about his powers and interaction with Gods Symbols of Power.

The odd luminousness stopped him saying, "Ok, you two go in and get it."

Both Annabeth and Grover shrieked with disagreement.

It was not unexpected, so before either could question his reticence and get more reticence themselves he replied, "I didn't volunteer, one of you will have to go down."

First, to gather her wits Annabeth said, "I will not go, you do it."

Grover was quick two pull up the ever-enduring counter, "no you do it."

Percy let the children bicker until they wore each other out, handily forgetting that he was their age in the privacy of his own mind.

As they finally wound down Percy would have sworn that hours had passed if the sun was not still setting, it could at most with a generous estimation, only be ten minutes making it in reality about three minutes that he had to wait, "one of you will have to go down."

The glares of hate he received proved that it was a matter of pride now rather than any trepidation, breaking the mould of expectation Grover struck first. "I will not go if she doesn't."

"I won't if he doesn't."

"I won't if she doesn't"

Percy definitely not ready to live through another argument, so he pushed both of the arguing children over the edge of the pool. Seeing them tumble down the side Percy could not help but feel some exhilaration, something about panic and mayhem was just so very entertaining.

That exhilaration drained out of him as his suspicions were proven true when they picked up the shield and scarf. The spiders and gold net had him feeling resigned, to think that Ares didn't have a better reason than 'I can't be bothered' didn't surprise Percy. But a trap was not what he expected, he expected that it would somehow end up humiliating, not deadly.

On the flip side of his resignation, there was fear for Grover and Annabeth, he knew that no matter how much he thought it 'it is what it is' would not help, he was responsible for them till the end of the quest, 'that is how it is.'

With an internal sigh not having the time to actually heave one Percy analysed the situation, it was quite simple to understand what was going on. Annabeth had Arachnophobia, she could not think straight, Grover, on the other hand, was not good at leading, so he was stuck there holding up Annabeth on his shoulders and the Shield and Scarf in each hand respectively, not having a plan to follow he was just letting time run out.

Percy didn't have the water or time to condense enough to force an extraction with it and even if he tried it was a bad idea with the shield, so he did the next best thing, fixing Annabeth.

Percy had not had an opportunity to use the mist to confuse a fearful mind away from their fear, but it was extremely easy. It was easier than tricking a mind that was not paying any attention to what was trying to be tricked. That was what previously Percy thought was the best scenario for using mist control.

He put it to the back of his mind for later contemplation. Percy watches Annabeth switch from thinking the spiders to scorpions, it cleared her of enough fear to think straight. And it was only moments later that she came up with a solution, "Grover use the flying shoes."

It was a close call but Grover got out with Annabeth, the shield and the scarf.

That night as Annabeth and Grover slept after their 'Harrowing experience', Percy tested and experimented with learning and discovering more about his powers. Gaining knowledge was one of the few things that brought him pure joy when he had nothing else he had his powers.

That is why he became Obsessive with Mist control, it was another part of his powers. Learning and practising Mist Control was not as good as his water powers but the feelings of safety and comfort were still brought to the fore of his mind with the association.

And the potential advantages where nothing to scoff at, he could probably become the youngest president ever if he felt so inclined, or maybe the king of England. He reflected that he didn't really feel comfortable with throwing a contrary in to ruin with his laziness, and there was no doubt in his mind that the country would be ruined, he would not have the constitution to deal with the work and subsequent effort.

His mind continued to wonder as he tested his powers against the symbol of a god, ones discovering all he could Percy decided to put it down in his notebook.

When he first saw the notebook he had originally paid it no mind, but then a question started to gnaw at him, so 'Percy's Mist Control Notes' were created with two reasons.

Could Pen Sword, be used as a real pen? And Percy couldn't think of anything else to write about.

Percy started a new section in his notebook about his Hydrokinesis. He started at the start, first water healing him, then moving it with his mind, breathing underneath it, and sensing it, condensing it from the air, solidifying it. He then added in other things like ice and steam, and how he could not change the temperature of the water but control it in any state.

He then finished this first section with controlling water over long distances as long as he could sense it, or controlling the water inside mortals and other animals, he added in his account of making the pigeons in the park nearby the department of family affairs building chirp 'rockin' robin'. It was late into the night when he finished this bit.

Then Percy added things that he learnt more recently, not being unable to sense water in Monsters and Unable to control it in Centaurs, Satyrs, Nymphs and his predictions that this would translate to anything born mystically. Or the way he could slightly control the water in demigods, and how it became a lot more difficult when they are fighting or using their godly talent as when the Morpheus kid is sleeping. By the time this section was complete dawn was in site.

Percy still pressed on he Wrote,

"When testing Hydrokinesis with Ares Symbol of power, the first thing is that it interrupts any control I have over the body of water in contact with it, it doesn't matter what state the water is either steam and ice are just as susceptible. I lose any control I have over water that is in contact with the shield, or any water in contact with affected water.

Conclusions that water acts as a Conduit for Mystical power and Ares Symbol of power acts as a power source.

Note that things that don't take mystical effort are not affected by the shield. When in the hotel pool I could still breath under water and even though the shield was in the pool with me blocking my control of the pool, this is also backed up by me being able to Sense the water of the pool with the shield in it.

I have not come to any conclusions with this information.

The last and most interesting thing to note is that that the shield does not affect the momentum of the water, even when I create the momentum with my water powers the shield does not affect it.

Personal note I would like to find out how these interactions change with the presence of Ares, or how these changes differ with other Symbols of power.

By the time Percy finished with the Hydrokinesis part of his notebook, Grover was waking up Annabeth.

X

They only got to the dinner after the breakfast rush. Percy was being difficult, not in the way of purposely heeding their progress, more not helping out languidly standing around.

This probably saved them time, in the end, dragging Percy through the streets is easier than being dragged by Percy to whatever catches his interest, then everything is seeming to turn up Annabeth when she finds that Ares was already there at the diner.

With a simple shove Percy obediently sat next to the immortal, she then took a step back so Grover was in the window seat facing the god, she was on the opposite side of the booth. During the first few minutes she found it much easier to keep her anger in check then the first time, it was actually when Percy's glassy-eyed thousand yard stare sharpened did she feel her composure brake.

And like always after a positive turn of events there is a negative, so just as Annabeth is trying to get her equilibrium when the god of war asked for the items distasting her from her task, so Annabeth found it whole exemptible to slammed them on the table an action in complete contrast to her previously calm demeanour.

The aggressive action did little to calm Annabeth but she found it cathartic enough to get back to reassembling her equilibrium rather than hurl them at the god's face. Percy then immediately skived off to the toilets with a, "got to go be right back."

Percy's abrupt departure was the Cue for Ares to put on a display of the shield turning in to hundreds of different weapons, Annabeth could not be sure but she thought that she saw her dagger but when she checked her pocket her weapon was still there making it a look-alike that she saw.

A shake on her shoulder brought her focus back to the table, Grover handed her a backpack, Ares told her and Grover, "this backpack has your reward for finding my shield."

Percy got back from the toilet, Ares tried to continue "As I was saying," but as soon as those words came out of his mouth the food arrived, the serving girl looking very intimidated by Ares.

The three kids tried to devour their food but Ares didn't give them time to dig into breakfast before telling them. "As I was saying I have given your group an extra reward for getting the scarf back there is a truck in the parking lot, it will help you continue on your journey."

It was a bit of a rush Grover taking an extra thirty seconds to shove as much of the food on the table into his mouth before Annabeth dragged him along, Percy was already at the truck. And it was not a pretty scene, he was waving his hands about wildly and a motorbike helmet on his head, thirty seconds to go from sanity to insanity.

Annabeth sighed as she continued to drag Grover to the truck, she got a tad of vindictive pleasure when Percy yelped from the shove she pushed him into the back of the truck with. She was rather impressed by Percy's dedication, he continued doing the crazy arm movements even while laying face down in the truck. Annabeth used the time to get comfortable on the hay, Grover followed suit it was only moments after Grover sat did Percy get up.

Percy glowered at Annabeth, it was rather ineffectual with a helmet on his head.

During the stare down the driver came around to the back of the truck grumbling about animals, and he completely ignored the three kids in the back of his truck even though he looked past them to see the animals.

Percy gave a lopsided smile and excitedly whispered "it worked." Then turned back to Annabeth the positivity and joy drained from his face, he mumbled something under his breath then gave a placid smile that didn't reach his eyes and in a monotone declares, "it is time to sleep." Percy then lays across the rest of the hay and goes to sleep.

Leaving Annabeth to feel like crap for the way Percy acted.

X

There should be a few things noted at this point in time. One for all the power that comes with being a god of Olympus, Omniscience is not one of them. Two that for all of his years alive Ares was not good at keeping track of anything including symbols of power.

These facts of life cumulated into Percy is one of the luckiest thieves in existence, if Ares had noticed or realised that Percy took the helm, Ares would take vengeance against the punk, his family and his friends. As previously mentioned Percy is one of the luckiest thieves meant that Ares only noticed that the helm of Hades was gone a week later during the summer solstice, drawing too much suspicion to Ares for the god to take vengeance.

X

Percy woke with a voice in his head, "oh, praise Poseidon the lord is awake."

Percy staunchly pushes aside dealing with the voices in his head to do a check of his person, the first thing he noticed was the helmet was still on his head, that was good Percy didn't know why it was completely covered with mist.

It would be better he finds out then Grover or Annabeth, if something happened to them Percy figured that with them being his responsibility then he would feel bad. It looked like an average motorcycle helmet but it was the helmet from Ares bike and layered with a strong mist tethering.

"What would you command of me, my lord." Percy figured he really needed to get on top of the voices. But kept it aside to deal with the odd weight on his stomach.

After a bit of fumbling he discovered that it was a backpack, must be the one that was given to them by Ares. After a quick check of the contents money, food other things he could not recognize whilst in the dark, but after a mist check for the helmet, Percy discovered the backpack was concealing something.

It was tethered with mist like the helmet but it was seamless blend with reality. Unlike the bike helmet that is a gash in the mist letting Percy spot and take it while they were talking to Ares or the patch job, Percy did on the truck to keep the driver from noticing them that is a gaping hole in the mist.

This backpack was like it had been surgically done, there was only the smallest inconsistency to notice that something was mystically off.

After the equivalent of mystical poke and prod, Percy determined no matter how hard he tried he would not be able to beat the tethering.

"Please my lord let me serve you, your Royalness." Percy wondered how he was 'your royalness', then he realised he was off track and he should be checking his two comrades. Percy was pleased that they didn't lose the shield and scarf for the three hours he was out of it, after being awake all night. Percy was still wary over their usefulness but he had claimed them for this quest, and he was reconsidering whether that was as big as a mistake as first thought.

Keeping them safe is going to prove a challenge, either way, so Percy decided letting the sleep a little longer would help more than waking them up. So Percy changed priorities, it was time to deal with the voices, with a light whisper as not wake up his comrades, "who or what I'm speaking to?"

Ten minutes later

If it was the last thing he would do Percy would make 'never trust a zebra' a common saying, as he dodged a truck on the strip, yes that strip the one in Las Vegas. Then with an agile jump, Percy jumped to safety barely avoiding another car.

"Told you so." Percy gritted his teeth at Grover's gall, but rather than arguing with Grover on whether they would be alive if Percy had followed them, Percy just strode forward, muttering his mantra "it is what it is". If Grover was going to be a prick about it Grover was going to be a prick, Percy would just ignore it like everything else.

They were in the truck and Grover told Percy to follow him and Annabeth, then they promptly ran into the traffic jam caused by the zebra. But Percy was not ok with letting his charges get run over so he manipulated the water in the closer drivers hands to swerve out of there way of the duo. It was not a very big traffic jam.

The two survived with Percy's interference and arrived outside a hotel before Percy traversed the traffic himself and he only made it through unscathed from the combination of his agility, reaction time. And the precognitive likeability Percy gets from his now automatic water sensing, he gets an instinctive feel for the environment or anything with water condensation on it.

With unspoken and assumed agreement Percy entered the nearest hotel, it was a bit on the smaller side and named 'the lotus casino', halfway to the door Annabeth overtook him, probably hungry or something. No longer in the lead and nothing to make Percy think that they were in danger, Percy focused on the bag and the helmet inside, he was determined to find out what he stole and lays beneath the tethering making it look and feel like a Motorbike helmet.

X

It would be good to note at this point that the Lotus Eaters have had 3000 years to perfect the art of trapping both mortals and demigods, thus their unique way of using a mist and magic ability to trap unsuspecting victims would only be noticed by Percy if he was looking for it on a good day.

Unfortunately for Percy, Annabeth and Grover, Percy was not looking for any deception, trusting his charges to do it after they successfully proved their proficiency at handling issues, when they dealt with Ares. Instead, he was completely absorbed by deciphering the helmet in the backpack.

This was not all that bad for Percy, even though he lost his charges to the Lotus food without even realising it. As he was completely absorbed in his own little world of the backpack and the helmet, meant that the Lotus Eaters were unable to get Percy's attention and then trick him into eating the specialised food creating the mind fog they use to keep people pliant and excepting of the situation. After all, if he had only taken one bite he would have no chance to escape without outside influence, the Lotus food was very good at doing what it is meant too, having been perfected over the last 3000 years.

This situation also had a silver lining for the Lotus Eaters, other than getting two new demi-gods and the ambient power they could provide. The Lotus-eaters had been alive from a certain perspective for the last 3000 years, this was a long time to develop human traits such as curiosity, one of the most vexing parts of their existence was the time dilation field.

They had learnt a few things about it over the years, whenever they gathered the dilation effect would become more pronounced The more that where present the more increase in the effect. At the stage where enough of them gathered to see a significant effect change with the sundial, it was noted that only there body was affected by the sped up time not the mind.

The next things tested was how the time dilation effected mortals and other creatures and found they experienced time sped up for their mind and body this was the same for those who had or had not partaken of the Lotus food, whereas if a Lotus Eaters partook of the food and had not yet developed an immunity to its effect then they would experience the feeling of time dilation in both body and mind.

Percy Jackson represented a golden opportunity to expand their knowledge and remove one more query they have, what happens when a demi-god comes within their time dilation effect. This path of knowledge gathering had been banned by the elder, after the attack by Odysseus. But he had died long ago and the current elder was only a child when the attack had happened time and distance having forced the pain and sorrow to fade.

So when presented with to break the ban, or potentially have a repeat incident, from 809 A.D. When they had got forceful with a demigod and she had discovered their existence, two of them had died that day and it took 4 century's for Hestia to grudgingly forgive them and their relations were still frosty too this day.

The elder chose to break the ban, curiosity an ever powerful motivator.

X

After they got to the room and cleaned up Annabeth and Grover went to check out the hotel, this was fine with Percy, he was now being left to himself and the helmet he requisitioned from Ares bike.

There were no clocks in the room not even a digital bedside one, so Percy could not tell the time. It felt like a day had passed, (he had eaten enough of the junk food around the hotel room and felt tired enough for it to have been an entire day). When Percy was close to finishing the monotonous task of untethering the mystery object, best equivalence to having a present covered with a million individual pieces of sticky tape, Percy had to take them off one by one not having the power or skill to just rip it open.

Percy put the hunger and tiredness down to the monotony of the untethering making him feel that a day had passed when really it was only a few hours, Percy was eased by the assumption if it had been any significant amount of time Grover or Annabeth would have come in.

By the time he finished untethering the tether on the helmet, it was revealed to Percy as hades helm. This unsettled Percy, yes the implications would be numerous and most likely Percy would not be able to comprehend most of them, but either way, he would have to carefully consider them but that was for later. What currently unsettled Percy was the aura of the helm, not being able to form a whole thought without a random childhood fear making its imaginary presence felt was very disruptive.

So he just powered through his tiredness, powering through, Percy was able to sloppily apply a tethering on the helm, it blocked all the same mystical signals, he could put a whole through together again.

His first thought was if he was feeling this tiered he must have underestimated how much of a strain long-term use of mist control would make.

His second was that the helms physical appearance was not done so well, the new tethering showed it as a battle helmet that didn't come out of the forge quite right. Percy couldn't really dredge up a care for its appearance now that he had gotten out of its aura.

Percy's third and final thought before sleep claimed him was how compatible the bed looked, hopefully, Grover or Annabeth would have to wake him up soon, who was he kidding, he already knew the hope was in vain.

Percy woke up feeling well rested, this vast contrast to what he considered normal, instantly clued him into something was off. Well for normal whilst on a quest with a time limit, given he didn't actually have much experience to back up his conclusion. But that didn't necessarily make it wrong.

Percy quickly packed up, he put the helm in his backpack, the rest of the food from the hotel room, he had no idea if or when he would come back after all. Then focused on the constant stream of background information looking for where there was a blank spot in his power. Seconds later Percy was on the most direct path to Grover, he could not find Annabeth without alerting a hotel full mortals to the fact they were not in control of their own body's, and it was a big hotel, much bigger then he remembered, he put that down to being focus on the helm.

X

"William", Percy stammered out in irritation. William considered maybe confronting the demigod face to face might not have been the best of ideas, but it was a little late for such sentiments, "William", Percy said again in a growl with an underlining promise of pain if there was still in action.

William's name was not actually, William. But the elder of the Lotus-eaters refused to be distracted by such things as he confronted the demigod, "Percy we must have words as I understand you are under a time limit it would be best for us to go outside."

William noticed how he obviously tensed and a hand went to his left pocket, but that was all he was willing to do. William was glad for the naivety displayed, his reaction displayed that he thought of William as a threat, but was not yet cynical enough to attack immediately, now William felt stupid for feeling any amount of fear.

William had planned for it to the encounter to devolve into violence where then nearby Lotus Eaters were positioned to step in and help, only after they had defeated and disarmed him, then not killed him would he realise that they wanted to talk.

Walking long next to the Demigod feeling the mild disappointment did William realise how stupid that plan sounded. Then he heaved an internal sigh, it would not do to show any feel this early on in his interactions with Percy but the ambient power having two symbols of power in the hotel for three days had been enough to power, sustain the enchantments on the building for the next decade and a half.

They got outside to where a table and chair was already set out after William seeing common courtesy was seen to he got down to business as Percy eyed the water in his glass speculatively. "So I require to know how time acted around you while in the hotel?"

"What are you talking about?" William actually heaved a sigh with this, it was not all that unexpected, he was a boy all things considered, but that meant that William only holds out a faint hope that the answer would come with no questions asked.

"The place we just exited has a strong time dilation effect, for example I think at the same rate whether I'm under the effect or not, but under the effect my body ages at 25 times slower give or take about .5% on random variables, it was actually how however of them where in there at the same time. If you look at today's newspaper you will notice that it is the morning of the 23d, three days have passed since you entered."

The light of realisation appeared in Percy's eyes, and then he muttered, "I had to eat three days' worth of food and had three days of sleep, it all makes sense now." William could not believe his luck, he could hear the child mumble the answer to one of the major life questions for the Lotus-eaters. "why do you want to know?"

William probably would have gloated at this point and given Percy all the answers he could want, but he would not have to worry about wasting the energy in the enchantments if this demigod solved the current tensions. William was very attached to the enchantments after all the times an angry Godling came knocking and the enchantments kept the Godling busy until the Godling was called away to domain maintenance. And there was the secondary concern that if this place had both magical items then it would quickly be a place of destruction, William was not confident in the enchantments withstanding the resulting destruction.

When hates turned up almost month ago grumbling about the war and dirty thieves, asking William if the debris of a godly war in the north would pose any potential harm to the establishment and his children inside. William guaranteed their safety, knowing he could not then he would live very long and have a very unpleasant afterlife if he did manage to get either child killed then the afterlife would be absolutely awful.

That meeting and what his agents, got from the two rambling quest companions William was able to put the pieces together, he didn't like the image it makes, so getting the brat to stop asking questions and get moving soon. "You can come back later and I will answer all your questions, but for the same reason we are outside now you don't have the time to waste asking questions, you need to be on your way."

"What about Grover and Annabeth?"

William held his less savoury feelings in, "there is no time, you can collect them on your way back." He got a glare, "it's a big place, half an hour to get to halfway through the complex, an hour searching, half an hour to get out, that is your final two days gone."

Suddenly there was a swirl of movement from across the table, William tried and could not move a muscle there was a thin layer of water around his body stopping any movant, a second later sword at his throat, well fuck. The fear came back with a vengeance, he almost lost control of his bladder,

"Swear on the Styx" William was caught between genuine horror and some rye amusement, the kid could kill him with a slip of the blade, but had finally stopped asking inane questions during a time-sensitive mission, there was also the long-term effects of the Styx to be concerned with.

It was not well known because most didn't break vows on the Styx's but gods, but because gods are not actually directed by the braking they didn't really matter all that much. In relation to how it affected Lotus-eaters and after some testing it was proven that the same rules applied to humans, and the rule is the intent as the words are spoken matter more than the words.

So if he thought about 'not saying a really obscure word' for the next minute but said, "I will not attack Percy". Then he immediately attacked Percy he would be fine but never be able to say the obscure word, because when the meaning loses any time restriction with intent.

Another part of the intent when spoken is how the speaker defines the word so they could say, "I will not attack Percy for a week." And they would be restricted to doing anything they would think of as attacking when giving the oath, if that did not consider verbal abuse to be an attack then there would be nothing stopping them from verbal abusing Percy.

So he gave his vow as much consideration as he thought he could when the pressure from the sword increased, William vowed. "I Swear on the Styx that I will not do anything to heed Percy when he comes back." The second he said it before the thunder boomed he noted the mistakes and wanted to yell in frustration he should have included the names of the companions.

X

Percy heard the boom of thunder and finally felt satisfied this was definitely an odd monster hybrid, but he finally felt as if he came out of a monster exchange with the upper hand, that might be because of the loss of Grover and Annabeth in an unobtrusive way.

Percy wondered if it was to do with their time powers or what that protected the friendly monster from his water powers, he was not even sure they were monsters, he could feel the water in them, just like the Centaurs or Satyrs could feel the water but not interact with it. Percy was sort of becoming disappointed with the powers usefulness. Can't use it on monsters fredilyish of otherwise, Can't use it on Centaurs or Satyrs, difficulty with using it on demigods almost impossible in battle, and mortals were more likely to be a disadvantage rather than an advantage.

Percy summoned some of the water from the backpack, he put it in the best places to stabilise floating and then solidified the water. Next, he floated a few meters of the ground willing the mist to show nothing and then headed in the direction of LA.

Four minutes later

Percy smashed into the ground after only four minutes of 'Flight', he had already made it out of the city limits to the desert at this time. Learning that his speed while having water make him float was limited to his endurance, had him wanting to find a way to increase the endurance, currently, he could get to a speed where it felt like his face would peel off from the air resistance.

He had already found a way to protect his eyes, he covered them with water with a thin layer of water, it protects them from dust and other things when he tried to cover the rest of his face the air resistance was too much for the water without a flattish surface.

Then yelling at the top of his lungs for the last minute because he was exhilarated, became an awful idea when a bug got itself lodged down Percy's throat. This thoroughly distracted Percy from any water control and he plummeted the three meters or so he was in the air to the ground.

X

Something else should be noted at this point, you are aware of the theory that you should stay relaxed to keep your body from injury with major blunt force trauma. If you have ever been in a life-threatening situation where you are conscious and this advice was applicable you would still find your self-tensing up on instinct, for most Demigods there power does not affect this, and most of the time that list includes children of Poseidon.

But Percy Jackson was conscious when he began to fall, and with his natural instincts in effect, Percy's muscles tensed. But these instincts were able to enact Percy's powers, and Percy had broken the mental barrier that most of the Poseidon demigods have stopping them using their powers on people, this meant that not only did Percy's muscles tense but also all the liquid in his body also tensed.

This created an innumerably large amount of minuscule injuries.

X

Blinking his eyes open after the crash he noticed everything hurt, even where the water had started to heal his hurt. He got back into the air with a closed mouth and a sore body, he was a tad bit slower than before, as the water continued to heal him.

A 20 minutes later he got to L.A.

With no idea where to go Percy wondered around aimlessly, until lunch. He then floated down and took a seat at an outdoor café. In-between him sitting in the seat and the waiter coming over asking for his order did Percy realise how tired he was.

Flying from one state to the other took about a three quarter of is energy, sleeping for an entire day really does throw your estimated limits around, Percy was not sure it could have done a tenth this distance at that speed after getting out of the truck.

He got simple ham and cheese sandwich and sat there until mid-afternoon, using his water sensing ability to find the entrance to the underworld. It was about three when he made a napkin look like a hundred and put the rest of them in his pocket for a moral emergency. He walked on a path directly to Hollywood, there was a hellhound here and there, a monster in a waterbed shop, Percy considered drowning him but then decided to not.

The entrance was only a little bit away from that shop when he a approached a gated community that was in his way he just floated himself over the fence, it was about 3:30 when he got to the entrance, and about 4:00 when the guy in the suit finally let Percy through. It took half an hour for that simple conversation because every three seconds Percy would have to calm himself down, mentally chanting 'it is what it is'. Percy didn't know what about the guy set him off so much but it did.

Percy floated himself over Cerberus and all the way to the palace. The second he crossed the threshold of the palace gates, he notices the second power source. It was playing havoc with his sensing ability, not that there was all that much water down here.

He first stepped off to the side of the path, then he looks down into the bag and there it was the lightning bolt. Percy didn't know what to do the right way, and half a minute later when he made a decision, he could not tell if it was the right decision. He took the tethering from the helm and put it around the bolt, he definitely could not have done it in the 2 minutes he did do it in if the tethering on the helm was not done by him.

Percy decided to switch, reasoning he planned on leaving the helm so it didn't need to be disguised, but did plan on keeping the bolt till he got to Olympus so it would be better for it to be disguised.

This actually changes his plan, he originally planned to plead for the bolt, his plans changed during the flight to L.A. He was going to trade the helm for the bolt and then make a request, but now he had both helms and bolt the could trade for just a request and it was a lot better than the original plan.

Entering the garden he determinedly refused to look towards the pomegranates. There was a bit of trepidation before Percy knocked, but he did and the doors opened very ominously, it showed a throne room, with a twenty-foot-tall being lounging, in the grand thrown on the dais.

X

Hades was reconstructing his furies when the alarms went off informing him that there was a living thing in his domain

Hades was confused at what his brother was playing at, after three thousand years hates thought that he could have figured it out. But having his demigod child come with the helm and no escape was very out of character for Poseidon in actual fact this whole stealing symbols of power was very out of character.

Hades would be lying if he said he was not curious for what this child would have to say, the underworld has a lot more defences than a surly gatekeeper that will take a bribe from anything as long as it has money. Charon was mainly for ambience if Hades actually cared to take the soles across efficiently then he would have had a bridge built.

"This is amazing, so much space. Do you actually have all the space under the earth? And how does that work with a mortal explanation of crust, mantle and core?"

Hades wondered if the flattery was genuine or not as he answered the question, "simply put the crust is the barrier between the world and the underworld, the mantle is the underworld and Tartarus is the core."

"ok so you know that I have the helm what are you willing to trade?" the impudent demi-god asked.

It was only from the millennia of self-control that gave hades the ability to stop his eyes bugging out of his head, at the question. It did leave him with a few questions, "do you have the lightning bolt, are you aware that I am a being of more power then you can comprehend, what is stopping me from just killing you and taking it?"

The child took some time to compose the answers, "It is with a person I trust. Yes, I get it, I'm nothing in your eyes as a demi-god I will be lucky to have 100th of your lifespan. Crowd management with war, if you just take it and kill me the person I trussed with the lightning bolt will not bearable to prevent the war and war means a lot more dead."

Hades found it amusing all the questions were answered well, it was also a good argument even if it let Hades conclude that it is a mortal Percy trusts, because if it was a demigod then the demi-god would take the lightning bolt to Olympus and end this.

Hades really didn't like this situation, it had happened a number of times before an uppity hero thinking that their family should get a second chance at life. When Hades heard that son of Poseidon that killed Alecto, got a quest he went to check the family members, Hades found that there was one close relation, his mother, she had died three years ago, much too long to consider any sort of resurrection. She also had an awful death, drowning, the kid probably blamed himself for not saving her, when he found out that he was Poseidon Spawn.

A threat to send the loved one to the fields of punishment usually gets compliance that was actually going to be his next threat. "Give me my helm and I will leave your mother in the fields of asphodel, continues this impudence and I will move her to the fields of punishment."

The kid went through a myriad of reactions, Shock and Anger most prevalent then something new for Hades, a baleful silence, the kid was calling him on the threat, what sort of kid risks eternal punishment for their dead mother, fuck! Hades didn't really want the judges to grumble because he did an overruling on past judgment, but needs must. He gave the mental command and sent out a skeleton worrier to have it done.

"Now give me the helm." Hades put power into the words and the child began to obey but unfortunately Hade's words of power work on the dead much better than the living, it was a bit of a long shot.

"Are you ready to trade?" the question was repeated with some boards, Hades considered a little murder for the presumption shown by the boy, how dare he imply that he feels bored while dealing with a god.

Hades focused is fear Aura on the demi-god, as expected he immediacy withered under its power after a minute of the boy curled on the grown rocking back and forth Hades released him. "Are you ready to trade?" Hades asked in a mocking drawl, rather satisfied with the way the child was still shivering as he stood up.

There was a moment where the child got his shivering under control than with a small stutter, "a guarantee for isles of the blessed." Hade's grin the child was crazy, he came to the underworld, with a symbol of power for the god of the underworld, in order to trade it to the god of the underworld, so he gets the best spot when he dies, it is so ridiculous Hades could not help the smile.

No wonder he could not figurate Poseidon's game, it was Percy's game all along. But it also made sense a mortals death was a part of there life no two ways about it, but to know that one's it was done you would be in the best spot possible. Even Hades could imagine the draw, he could imagine the feeling the wariness he associated with fading, no longer affect his actions would be worth a trip to Tartarus.

"So do we have a deal?" the question brought Hades back to reality and the situation, he must have looked like a loon sitting there smiling saying nothing.

"Yes." He answered simply

Percy had a smile as he pulled the helm out of his bag, then water moved to engulf it in a blob of liquid. Then the blob moves the helm up to place it in Hades outstretched hand. Hades was not sure why but that act reminded him of Triton, the two-tailed show-off, when Percy did it, it did not seem boastful.

Percy then hovered back the way he came, Charon was probably still there waiting for a bribe the greedy fucker.

X

Percy was exhausted leaving the Underworld by the time he got out it was getting to ten and Percy just wanted to get some sleep. Luckily for him, he knew where a nearby bed store was, the monster had 'pen sword' in his head before he could even get a word in edgewise.

His last thought before he fell to the realm of Morpheus, was that it was a good thing Hades could not sense the lightning bolt.

X

By all rights Hades should have been able to sense the power of the lightning bolt, the original reason Percy didn't die immediately on entry to the underworld with such a weapon was because of the backpack, this immunity would not work entering the place, when hades would try sensing again for anything he would have missed.

And this is where a few interesting coincidences that seemed to conspire with the objective of keeping Hades from discovering that the most powerful weapon of the gods was within two paces, well two paces for his godly form. The first was an incredible amount of luck and skill on the part of Percy and his successful tethering mist on the lightning bolt and accompanying removal of the mist tethering on the helm of darkness, this one action diverted most of Hades wild and erratic attention to the helm. And the rest of it to his interaction with Percy.

The second would have to do with why his attention was wild and erratic when Hades was newly made the god of the underworld and wealth of the earth he was completely sained. He was given the helm of darkness from the forge of Olympus, this helm had many magical effects, from three different master enchanters.

The helm increased hades strength, health and endurance this was done by one of the enchanters, a different enchanter created it to steal the life forces of the beings around it as well as being a conduit to increases the fear aura hades produces, this was going to be the end.

But A third saw how the helm gave strength, health and endurance and how the life forces steal, took strength health and endurance so this third master enchanter allowed the increase the helm gave to hades draw on the stolen life force.

Of Course, the life force is made of many other things than just strength, health and endurance. There are the instincts of the thing with life force, even it is the life force of the rocks instincts to do nothing because it is inanimate but when there are sapient being some personality, beliefs, hopes and dreams come with the life force. The third enchanter was a master just like the others so he was able to block the helmet from giving Hades these parts of the stolen life force.

But he was not infallible so he was not able to make the conclusion that Hades fear aura would have things of life force give of sanity to be stolen, and thus didn't stop the helm from giving hades the sanity. This is why on the occasion described the helm as making people feel like they're going insane. This extra sanity paradoxically made hades insane, not in a conventional way the stream of sanity eroded way hades own over the centuries until hades were reliant on the helm for his sanity.

That's why it is said that when Persephone around it makes hades have better mood, this is not completely correct hades is better when Persephone is around because she is a good source of sanity for the helm.

So being deprived of the helm for the six months didn't leave hades as the most stable of individuals, and his wild and erratic attention being primarily focused on the helm.

It should also be noted that it was a good thing for the denizens of earth that hades rather than begin to act erratically instead fell back to the familiarity of running the underworld rather than coursing a zombie apocalypse.

X

This, of course, was completely wrong Hades could have sensed the lightning bolt through the bag before they even got to the underworld if he was trying to, trying to sense the lightning bolt was not something that Hades was doing during the discussion. During the discussion, he was focused on sensing whether the helm that Percy had was the real deal.

The next day

Percy woke up nice and rested, he took a minute to ransack the store of anything mystical he only got a few gold drachma out of the cash register, after that he found a map and spent half an hour to figure out that, it would not be viable to hover his way over America in a day.

So instead he decided to look like a madman and yell at the sky, "Zeus I know you're listening, I have the lightning bolt so it would best if you don't shoot me out of the sky!" then Percy took the biggest risk of the quest and got on a plain.

It was not that simple there was a lot of mist trickery and some blackmail/death treats with one monster security guard and a monster doughnuts chain but the blackmail/death threats were able to keep the piece.

It was a bit of a hassle for Percy trying to convince the security guard that Olympus existed on the top floor, so he decided to just float his way up, on the way Percy wondered about the competency of Olympus if they have mortals employed by them out of the know.

When he got to the throne room it was just Zeus and Athena before I could do anything, Athena spoke, "Father it would probably be best to have Poseidon here."

Zeus waved his hand airily, thunder rumbled across the sky, instead of an answer. Only moments later did the thrown next to Zeus flash and Poseidon was the there. They all stared at him silently as if he was meant to show respect or some such tripe

"I have it," Percy replied to the stares, he used water just like with hades helm to bring the bolt to Zeus. After Zeus's display, Percy continued, "So what reward do I get?"

A small frown appeared on Poseidon's face, Athena had a small smile, Zeus kept the same neutral look, "what reward would you expect?" the king of the gods asked.

"A magic item," Percy answered he could see the frown grow while Zeus seemed to hold back an eye roll, Percy expanded, "this Backpack with never-ending space, never get heavier and unable to take damage." Percy took off the backpack for emphasis.

There was a moment where Zeus looked to Athena their eyes connected and secret information must have been exchanged, Zeus then finally answered, "I will hear a retelling of your quest before making any decision."

Percy almost got to the end of his retelling before he was interrupted by Athena, "you haven't gone back for them."

"yet," Percy added the simple amendment

Poseidon actually facepalmed, "this is my child's fault I will deal with it." Then Poseidon disappeared in flash, Athena gave a sniff and followed suit, Percy was tempted to ask where she was going but held his tongue and finished his retelling.

"Very well Zeus answered it seems war has been avoided, you may go." Percy turned and began to exit just before he left the throne room, his backpack became weightless.

X

Annabeth and Grover were back from the quest before Percy and had made up their own version of events where they left Percy at the casino. Percy was surprised that his past companions were so unhappy with being left behind, but they were back safe and no longer his problem.

Everybody at camp avoided him, not even bothering to get the other side of the story, including Lou, witch Percy found odd that he even bothered noting. Percy really didn't give enough of a shit to go out of his way to correct them. Soon enough he was labelled as a coward, not that he actually found out, with such little interaction with the other campers it's not like he ever had a chance too.

Time flew by for Percy after the quest, that is what a routine will do to you. Dionysus taught Percy about Aura and Aura sensing in the evening, along with more anecdotes from the life of the wine god. Percy did sword practice in the morning when no one was about to bother him. And during the rest day practised his water powers.

Percy found it was the Aura sensing that most intrigued him. The way all of the mystical sentients pulled in mist the more powerful the bigger the pull or the more the power was in use the bigger the pull. Percy had been able to clearly notice that his original conclusions when it came to water manipulation of mystical beings was proving to be right, Chiron was taking in just as much Mist as Dionysus but unlike Dionysus who had a small amount of Aura, Chiron had not put the mist back in to the world exactly before.

And that was all that Aura was, the by-product of mystical beings taking in mist processing it for their powers then not using it and releasing it making their Auras. Unfortunately, Percy difficult time making progress, he could barely find Mr D's Aura.

Percy then learnt from a note that while he was gone on the quest that, Chris in his enmity had been telling everybody and anybody that Percy was 'a no good waste of space', this had primed the camp to wholeheartedly believe Annabeth and Grover were telling them the truth when they got back. Now with the minor mystery of why no one bothered to get Percy's side of the story, replaced with who gave him the note, Percy decided that now was great to leave the camp.

He had been making plans since before he returned, well one plan. On his way back from Olympus Percy had collected the documents for the department of family affairs. Then he had spent many exhaustive nights trying to decipher the words through his dyslexia, but he did and eventually completed all the paperwork for his fake guardians, and year 7 transcripts. When he left he would use a little mist and they would be processed.

So it was close to the end of June when Percy skip out of the camp with a simple note.

'It is what it is'

Percy

X

This exit had an odd effect on how the other children of the camp saw Percy. Every week there would be a new rumour about the son of Poseidon, he was a coward, he was an in a secret relationship with a girl from the Aphrodite cabin, he was actually the lightning thief and had tricked everybody into thinking that he had retrieved it. He was in a secret relationship with a guy from the Aphrodite cabin.

It is assumed that the Aphrodite cabin is the instigators of the rumours due to how common they are in them

Percy's complete indifference let the other campers conclude that 'you can't trust anything that you hear about the guy', at the end of each week. The next rumour would follow shortly, it just happened to be one of those times when the general consensus was 'you can't trust anything that you hear about the guy' when Percy left. Despite the logic of how they came to the conclusion, Percy's action of doing something whilst there was a general conclusion meant the conclusion firmly set as the truth in the minds of the demigods.

X

Poseidon coalesced into existence with a sea breeze, it had taken millennia to not instantly fall flat on his face and then another one to not stumble at all, but all the time spent practising was worth it for the entrance he just made. He looked around to see there was no one to see it, and then as if he was being mocked the shadows coalesced into his brother.

Poseidon's brother Hades gave him a look, conveying all his anger and bitterness about getting the underworld all those years ago. This look also contained, the questioning 'why he was asked hear', putting extra emphasis on the 'asked', and the implication that he would not have turned up if he was not curious.

Poseidon returned the look with an 'I know that you could not resist', then he switched to words, to answer the question, "I know about your kids, I have been to the casino." As much as he wanted to just say 'I know about the kids', Hades would have denied it, thinking it was a setup.

So Hades asked, "what do you want?" with a growl.

Rather than beating around the bush which he knew hades loathed, "Your support."

"Why?" Poseidon disliked this trait of his family, they refused to accept that war was coming till it was on their doorsteps when his demigod child didn't even realise that his entire quest was due to the machinations of, 'Cronus'. It spurred Poseidon to action when finding the di Angelo children in the lotus cosine, he knew that it was a good opportunity to force Hades to get ready.

"War is coming." Hades rolled his eyes instead of commenting on how ridiculous he thought it was.

"From what I heard war was just avoided." Poseidon actually contained his eye roll at the intentional naivety.

"Our father, his manipulations might have affected Areas, support me in the coming war with him."

"O.k," Hades replied making sure to imply that he was just humouring Poseidon, with the agreement made Poseidon exited the way he entered not letting Hades have a grand exit was almost as good as if he were to have a grand exit.

A.N.

Long wait till next chapert.


	2. Book 2 Part 1

Book 2 part 1

Percy had some unanswered questions for the lotus eaters, he expected to be there for two or three days at most but each answer usually raised more questions, in turn, extending his stay, he needed a new notebook at one stage. Percy stayed there for about 8 months but only experienced about half because part of the deal for answering all the questions was he would sleep in the hotel.

For all the questions about how mystical powers work and interact, he also gained answers for questions he didn't even ask, William liked to explain things with anecdotes, reminding Percy of the chessmen in the park. But these anecdotes had the unexpected consequence of giving a semi-mortal perspective for the actions of the gods.

Percy wanted to say he was surprised, devastated, shocked and appalled by the actions of the gods, but he wasn't he actually sort of expected it. He quite like that saying 'the victors write the history books' and believed it wholeheartedly, the gods pick the winners, so it was just natural to assume that they were better in whatever story than real life.

Knowledge was not the only thing gained, his training in aura progressed rapidly, when he concentrated on it in, he could feel his aura and the way the hotel drew it away to power something or another. This helped him practise better than anything so far because he was able to sense where his own Aura flowed much better than if it was someone else's.

X

It should be noted at this point that the lotus eaters had a long and interesting past one of these less known parts was the council of five. Williams predecessor was not immune to the illnesses of old age, as a point of fact none of the lotus eaters has any immunity to illness. This meant in his old age that the previous elder began to lose his mental faculties, he made pour decisions hear and odd decisions there, in a rare bout of sanity he created the council of five, to overrule any pour or detrimental decision made by the elder.

The council where to obviously be made up of five and ones a century on there was to be a vote by all the eaters to see who was on the next council, the five with the most votes were made members of the council, essentially making it a popularity contest. When William took over the others were too excited about their new agency to disband the council, no matter how little agency it actually had, needing the entire council to unanimously agree to overrule the elder.

X

William was happy to answer the questions, he was just happy to have someone different to talk to about life, the rest of the eaters where able to go out and experience the world, but as the elder William had to be constantly present at the casino and was unable to interact with many people, other than the other eaters.

Percy's presence also gave him was also the ability to show off his vast amounts of mystical knowledge, he had not been all that secretive with his discovery's and conclusions, but no one had really cared to this point. There was also the whole swearing upon the river Styx that bound him to not attempt to capture Percy.

William Swore up a storm when another half-blood came around, he began threatening staff and harassing patrons. The blond had removed the hand of Piana before they found out, he was here to talk to Percy Jackson.

Pianna was security and thus felt she had the right to keep her original name, and she had. This gave her a lot of influence and she was currently on the council of five, she was actually the only one keeping them from voting Percy out, she was the only one that shared his curiosity, and felt the danger was less important than the potential knowledge gained.

Seeing the bleeding stump made William think that she was going to re-evaluate her stance.

X

Percy saw Luke grumbling at the bottom of the main staircase, Percy had recently watched a few documentaries about storytelling. He had made a mistake of asking Jane the resident film guru to what she meant when she described him as an 'anti-hero', 'what an antihero was and why am I one?' looking at Luke, Percy couldn't see him as an antagonist. Even if Chiron was being truthful, which Percy suspected was not the case.

It would have been about 7 months ago when he got an iris message from Chiron, Chiron told Percy that Luke was recruiting for a rebellion on Olympus. Luke had dragged a group of 5 other members of the Hermes cabin to the forest and recruited them to the rebellion.

Percy only knew the names 'Lou Ellen Blackstone' and 'Chris Rodriguez' from the list of five, and even then he could not dredge up more than a half-hearted, 'oh'. It was slightly surprised at the time but after putting the information into the category 'it is what it is', Percy easily could have believed that there was a rebellion if the information came from a semi-reliable source.

After thinking about it for a while, Percy was actually surprised that there was not a mention of rebellion as part of one of, 'William, I will not tell you my, true name's' anecdotes. From the way the Olympians acted, Percy could not imagine that they could keep all of the discontents down with fear for 3 millennia without an uprising now and again. William explained that he had never heard about any uprising, but suspected that if one did the gods would shut it down hard, and hush it up, not wanting it to get in others heads.

Percy thought that if this was the case it was rather inefficient of them they would be better off showing the failure of past rebellions, but then again he had not run an immortal Kingdom for the past 3 millennia, they probably knew what they were doing.

Percy was more than a bit sceptical that even all of camp half-blood could do anything at all against a god, with the enormous power difference between a half-blood and an Olympian. So it might not be all that difficult to run an Immortal kingdom when your subjects don't have much of a choice to obey or be cast down to Tartarus.

Percy's mental tangent was stopped when Luke said, "join me, together we will be able to destroy the gods." All Percy did be look at him like he was the idiot he was.

Rather than addressing the idiot, Percy walked past him heading outside, Percy had gotten used to the casino and the time dilation effect, he was hungry and was not going to sit inside the time dilation to do it. This forced Luke to follow Percy outside inadvertently saving Luke the worst of the time dilation effects. Percy stopped at a same outdoor table and chairs that he had all his talks with William at.

He took his customary seat, forcing Luke in the one usually used by William.

X

Luke sometimes felt that Cronus was a bit too disconnected from the world, when he said to use a note to distance Percy from the other campers Luke wondered how much more distant he could get, the answer is leaving camp.

But then Cronus wanted Luke to give Percy the join or die speech, Luke didn't think it would go over that well with the surly camper. And there were the 7 months of searching for the half-blood because he vanished off the face of the earth.

Luke had to create a map of monster activity and only after months of tracking and chasing down fake leads did he discover, it was the anomaly around Vegas that held Percy. yes, Luke understood the importance of having Percy on their side, but Cronus rushed actions had made it more difficult for Luke.

Luke was hoping this negligence was due to Cronus's discombobulated state and not the long-venerated cruelty he was known to treat both his minions and enemy's with

So after a bit of testing while recruiting Luke easily determined that a soft sell was a much better way to go, so he smiled pleasantly even as he took a seat across from the one demigod they needed on their side but was looking at him like he was being especially stupid. "No".

The blunt refusal held no Malice as he had come to expect when trying to recruit. He would have to do this carefully, "why do you defend them, what have they done to help you?" it was important to get them to realise that gods did not have their children's best interests at heart. The best way to get to that subject was questioned the interactions between the gods and the demi-gods or the lack of interactions for the demi-gods he was trying to recruit.

There was a tense moment where Percy didn't look like he was going to answer, "I don't, they defend them self's and magic items."

Luke took just as long to process the answers and found he could not disagree with the second answer; it would be great when the Titans could make magic items. "If you don't defend them, then fight with us!"

Luke got looked at like he was being especially idiotic, "No. as much as death is not a negative for me I still do not relish the idea of fighting a god, so I will have to pass."

Then it all clicked for Luke, Percy didn't know they had Cronus on their side, he wanted to curse. Cronus had fore bayed him from telling anyone about him, most new recruits came to him in the wide-eyed optimism of a bright new future they would hold in their hands. But it was different when trying to get people from the other side, most of them wanted the status quo to stay the same out of fear of change or fear of the wrath the gods have, and without Cronus as an equaliser most where to scared to face the all-powerful Olympians.

Most of them were angry with Luke for causing a rebellion making it necessary to fight eventually, but it appeared that Percy didn't even care, he started speaking again. "Look I get it, I'm fated to choose the fate of Olympus, you what me for the rebellion, but that prophecy is not guaranteed to be for me and a rebellion is a lot of effort. But on the flip side fighting a rebellion is also a lot of effort, not as much but still a lot. So I'm currently disinclined to fight either without major incentive. Thus I wish you the best of luck with toppling Olympus."

Luke wanted to say something to get the last word in before he teleported away but then thought that his exit didn't need any final words it was good all on its own.

After the micro amount of time it takes for the device to work, Luke appeared on a familiar hill, shivering from the moment where he was exposed to freezing temperatures.

Luke idly brushed off the tiny ice crystals that had formed during transport he fingered the vial of poison. He then noted the crack of daylight, that should be another 20 minutes away, maybe he had talked to Percy too long, he would have to hurry up now. What he was going to do marked the end in his mind, there was no turning back, there was no other option than Cronus.

The amount of relief that he now knew that he would no longer be plagued with thoughts of going back to the Olympians was astounding. It was a while ago that he had concluded the original plan had him threatening Percy with, 'death or join' at the end of the summer. Killing or subverting a child of prophecy would be counted as a point of no return, saving Luke 5 months of slowly increasing unsurely in Cronus, but that had not happened.

Now he was at the end of a different plan, Luke knew his master would be displeased with Percy not joining them, then the subsequent lack of immediate death on refusal. But Luke figured Cronus would be mollified with the information that of a successfully completed plan. In doing what he planned next he was killing another prophecy child, or if his master's vague hints were to come to fruition, laying the seeds for the subversion of another prophecy child. Making this his point of no return and subsequent lack of relief.

Luke stealthily got to the top of the hill, but just as he uncorked the poison, a semi-familiar but the unmistakable voice of Argus shouted. "stop that." Luke was so surprised that he dropped the bottle spilling half the poison everywhere and the half on the tree, his device activated automatically now the bottle was empty.

As he landed on Princess Andromeda Luke knew he had screwed up. He was not meant to get seen. Then only half the poison would mean that the tree would last twice as long, this was not good doubling the time the camp had.

Luke considered lying, but Cronus had already caught him out for that before. Near the start of the campaign, Luke had not killed a half-blood that got the 'join or die, speech, the kid refused and Luke let him leave. During his report to Cronus, he fabricated a storey where the half-blood didn't get away, just as the words were out of his mouth Cronus began the punishment for lying.

Maybe Luke could fake an injury, and get someone else to pass on the news. Cronus was not all too good at the practice of, 'not shooting the messenger'.

X

Percy was conflicted, firstly, dam that was cool. teleportation was one thing he wanted badly, all the good stuff he could do with it. Checking his mental catalogue of natural powers, herms hadn't had any kids with the reported ability to teleport, even how useful it would be as a secret power Percy would have thought that one of them would have come forward during the years.

This gave Percy some hope, maybe he could wrangle an amulet or something else just as arcane from a god that lets him teleport.

The secondary was the dishonesty. Wiliam was the reason Percy was semi-competent with reading the aura of a being. When William determined that Percy could actually sense Auras, William began to lie intermittently during his anecdotes, this tinged his Aura with dishonesty.

Percy found he was rather adept at this part of Aura sensing when comparing how a dismal he was at the rest of it. This part being reading auras, when it was first explained by William it confused Percy a bit. Whenever a mystical being feels something even subconsciously they project their feelings in there Aura.

And generally most of this is individual, everyone's aura is different when Anger is projected into it. But there are exceptions to this generality. Specifically in this case honesty and dishonesty, if William was actually correct the form honestly and dishonesty are regular across all beings, near the end of the conversation he just had with Luke, he was being dishonest.

Luke's actions agree with this analysis, Percy tried to get Luke to be truthful with him by offering a blunt but truthful piece of information. The way Luke left showed he was hiding something and didn't feel comfortable not sharing the information and continuing the conversation, it was all speculation on Percy's part. What is not speculation is Luke can teleport and Percy fucking wants it.

Percy sat there wondering if Zeus had been eavesdropping as usual and if he was slated to die or had Luke and the others found a way to hide from the site of the Olympians. Lost in thought Percy didn't notice William until he shook Percy.

"Hey, I don't know what that was. But that guy was neurotic. He cut off Piana's hand." Percy didn't need the overly dramatic way William put the bag on the table to understand. He was kicked out of the casino. William continued, "so what will you do now?"

"I will go back to New York. Deal with some paperwork. It's nearly summer, so probably head back to camp half-blood, find a way to teleport." Percy knew that the way he just casually brought up teleportation would interest William, and looking at him Percy could see the sudden conflict that was brewing in the leader, this just caused and internally smile at the successful manipulation.

Percy new William would want answers because his curiosity for curiosities sake could rival Athena, but unlike most of the population he didn't come with inpatients, he would work extra hard to get Percy cleared to come back. So Percy decided some explanation was in order, "Luke, the current rebellious demigod just teleported. I'm thinking it was a device, but could it be a herms power. God of travel and everything, I will find out what and any other mystical knowledge or at least try."

William just nodded, Percy was unsure if this was acceptance of the situation. Appreciation. mutual respect. a fuck you for baiting me like this. a good by. a good luck. Any or all of the above.

Percy nodded back, wondering how William would take it. Reflecting this was the problem when people acted the strong silent type. You could never know what they actually mean. Percy almost wanted to roll his eyes at himself, no matter how simple it would make it Percy knew that seeing his life as a story would eventually cause problems.

X

It is interesting how Aura projects feelings. And its deep connection to the culture of an individual while they are growing up. The culture a mystical being grows up in has an extremely dramatic effect on how the Aura projects its self, if William had taken careful note with large sample sizes, he would have found that the generation that usually born in the conformity right after a time of war are usually similar. This is because the conformity culture across the board is similar. Where if he were to take a sample from the generation born to the ones that consider them self's as free spirits, they would usually have nothing in similar.

This had a few odd conclusions, one up until about the 1960's a majority of the population didn't have anything in there auras to represent moral outrage, as a matter of fact, most still don't because children are protected from the information that would let them develop moral outrage in their aura, it just being everyday anger. The lying thing is explained in the same way, with the global mentality 'lying is bad', this means unless the being grew up with pathological liars for guardians they express dishonesty like the rest of the planet.

As a side note to this interesting information, unlike Apollo who looks into the depths of a person to determine the truth of things. His children just naturally read the honesty or dishonesty of the things Aura because this is so reliable, also they can't actually look into the depths of a person.

X

Percy didn't want to go back to camp and end up embroiled with whatever mysterious plot they had cooking up, so he didn't. He made his way back to New York as planned, he did the paperwork saying he was kicked out after a year of whatever school no need to draw interest then informed them he was going back to the summer camp. But then Percy stayed in New York, and with the mist, he had endless cash to burn.

Percy put another potted plant in his bag, he had no good reason for why he could need one real or imaginary, and he had thought on it extensively. There was a lot of junk and useless shit in the bag, Percy had actually begun to forget all of the random shit in there. It did make for reasonable comedy, Percy thought as he purposely tripped over another alley dweller.

Percy injected so much sincerity into his voice that it could make you cry, "My apologies." He gulped for effect while turning to his bag and pulling out clothes pegs. "Here let me make it up to you," Percy handed over the pegs eagerly anticipating the look of confusion after all Percy could not even remember where he got clothes pegs, it's not like anyone in New York actually has a clothesline to need clothes pegs.

But to Percy shock, there was a look of genuine joy on the victim. Then the dweller ripped open the plastic sealed package, in a show of strength that would make a strong man jealous. And put a peg over his nose, Percy followed that line of site to his face and found that he was a cyclops.

Percy wondered why he was less shocked he was looking at a cyclops than the Cyclops was not confused before. Percy put it down to his near constant, 'it is what it is' during the start of his stay at the Casino. After finding out about how they essentially steel people of the street to eat or power the hotel it was difficult for Percy. But he had so many unanswered questions and no physical or emotional stake in any of the trapped, so after months, it became automatic.

Percy could feel how much less it affected him because it was mystical rather than mundane. Deciding to look into the disparity later, Percy refocused on the situation. The Cyclops was very captivated by the peg on his nose, it has it's one eye focused on the peg, Percy sported a grin at this action. It would have been more joyful if Percy could not read between the lines, but he could because he had been somewhat expecting it.

The tension had been building since the fourth day when they're stopped being attacks. during the first three days, Percy had dealt with at least 19 Attacks. Between Percy's Aura and Water sensing he was always, three steps head during an attack easily taking down an enemy, there was the one close call where he had overestimated his sword skills, so pen sword was relegated to final blows only.

Then on the fourth day it all stopped, this predictably made Percy a bit jumpy and a lot more observant, so he got the message, 'time to move your Ass'. Even if it was wrapped in a cyclops that might have a learning deficiency, with the third peg that was going on his nose.

"Hi, I'm Percy, who are you?" Percy wondered if he was responsible for the cyclops in the ephemeral way he was responsible for Olympus, and thus could leave or was he responsible for the messenger in the same way that a messenger should not be shot.

"You are Percy, Tyson will follow." After that responds, Percy figured it was the second way.

Percy jumped the turn style not even bothering with a hand movement to enhance the mist distraction for the Guards. Then he snickered at Tyson just bending the metal out of his way, Percy never remembered having a good time with other eight-year-olds, but he was eight back then.

It was only after Tyson's jokes did Percy conclude that Tyson was comic relief.

"What did the taxi driver say when he lost his taxi?"

"I don't know Tyson."

"Where's my taxi."

Percy laughed rather loudly at that one, the levity was good after the months of seriousness from by the lotus eaters.

On the way to camp Percy found out that Tyson was concerned for all things. They stopped here and there helping out people, animals, you name it and Tyson would try to help. One time Tyson had Percy pull over the 'rented' car to move a rock out of the middle of the road so that it would not get crushed. Percy might have minded a bit more but found he could begrudge the waste of helping strangers if it took time away from being at camp.

So it was getting dark by the time they got to camp, Percy had a moment of shock from the hole in the big house, with the back end of a four-legged metal something sticking out. The moment passed quickly, Percy took in the scenario with his water sense, it was a mechanical bull probably malfunctioning from cabin nine.

He also discovered everyone was almost at the pavilion, must be dinner time. His stomach rumbled, Percy did a light jog so he would get there sooner not realising that Tyson was still standing at the top of the hill, struggling against the invisible barrier. It is easy to forget about comic relief.

Percy got to pavilion just in time to draw attention as a latecomer, it didn't take long for the campers unhappy grumbling to start. This grumbling stopped when Chiron replacement stood up, hold on when did Chiron get a replacement.

The replacement was gaunt and wearing an orange prison jumpsuit, he was sitting where Chiron usually sat but it was the pre-dinner speech that Percy ignored, that proved the assumption correct. When Percy's eyes met Mr D's he got a mental command to talk after dinner.

Percy got to his second plate when Tyson entered the pavilion. A second later there was a chorus of Gasps, Screams and Shrieks, who knew half-bloods would not like Cyclops. Percy was confused he got Tyson to camp, Tyson was a mystical construct and would just know what to do, he had known he had to speak to Percy. But what would require him to come to the pavilion?

After the Chiron replacement got quiet he began the questioning, but instead of asking the Cyclops he pervades the campers, "who let this abomination in."

Percy replied with a raised hand as he took another bite of pizza.

"And why would you thing bring a cyclops into camp was a good idea?" The question was full of irritation and accompanied with wild hand gestures.

Percy answered with a bit of a snigger at the absurd gestures, "he was following me."

"I am Tantalus and you will not give me fool answers, why did you bring a dangerous monster into this camp."

Percy racked his brain for why the name was reminiscent as he repeated himself, "he was following me." But this time deadpan.

The newly revealed Tantalus looked down with a challenging expression, "would you let the Nemean lion in the camp if it was following you?" he asked it in the way people would ask 'would you jump off a bridge if your friends did?'

Percy replied how he did to them, 'jump off a bridge question.' "yes." Percy had always rationalised if he had friends and they jumped off a bridge they would have a good reason. And if the Nemean lion was following him it would have a reason.

As usual, when one of these rhetorical questions is answered differently from how is expected, it throws the questioner for a loop. Tantalus look like a lost person, this was apparently the queue for Dionysus to step in. "Now, Pepsi Jacksauce please explain what you expected to happen, this camp does not have the facility's to properly house a cyclops even a young one."

This flippant action got all of Percy's attention; his second skin even lost cohesion and soaked into his clothes. This attention let Percy figure out that Tantalus was the one who got cursed with an inability to eat, and from the flash of bitterness on Tantalus face and the amusement on Dionysus's. Percy also concluded that Dionysus liked needling him so it was most likely a misery loves company thing, he could not drink Alcohol so he gets someone who can't drink or eat anything.

Percy concluded that this is the exact sort of petty thing that Mr D did in most of his stories, so he used the one food pun off the top of his head, in a bid for time. Percy took a loud and crunchy bite of lettuce, as he masticated the vegetable slowly, Percy decided that procrastinating in hopes a solution will just appear is not a good strategy. maybe he should not have taken responsibility for letting Tyson or just assumed that there would only be minor problems when it was obviously divine presents that had them come in contact. "Letus take a minute to consider all of the information." Then Percy took another loud bite making it obviously procrastination, he got a lot of confused looks from the campers that bothered to pay attention to the big play.

Dionysus only had a look of confusion for a moment, it was another moment to check, Tantalus reaction of a murderous glare at Percy. Before the edges of his mouth moved to make a ghost of a smile.

Tantalus could be replaced with a frothing bull and no one would have noticed as he yelled incoherently, after a time he became Audible, "that is it you will have two weeks…"

He was abruptly cut off by a solution just appearing, a holographic trident was hovering above Tyson's head. Poseidon decided to claim Tyson. Percy wondered why Poseidon hadn't claimed earlier, as much as it would be nice to think that Poseidon was the god that tempered with Tyson to force the meeting, and he hadn't claimed the cyclopes out of a want not to expose that he was the one interfering and thus being seen negatively by Percy.

Percy couldn't bring himself to be so narcissistic, Percy had a hard time believing a god could somehow understand a person on that deep a level without ever interacting with the person even with all their power. And Percy was pretty sure that there were a million other more valid reasons why that he was not seeing. It might have just played to a potential preference for dramatic timing, and Percy was not prepared to argue for or against the validity of the potential preference. Being as he would probably choose his own partial preference for dramatic timing over Poseidon.

Could having comic relief disrupt his introvertedness, Percy assumed not. So was with little cause for concern when Percy loudly stated, "come here, bro." Tyson joyfully bounded over and joined Percy for dinner.

It was after Percy showed Tyson where they would sleep did he make his way to the big house and a Mr D who probably wanted to play some Pinochle. He was proven correct as the cards were already laid out perky decided not to cheat this game there was no Chiron distraction and there was potential that Mr D had memorised the laid out cards and it was a trap to catch him cheating.

Almost the entire conversation during the game was Mr D fishing for information about the lotus eaters, Percy told everything that was inconsequential but rebuffed any question about anything William asked him to keep confidential. In return, Percy learnt about why the gods didn't take any action, against a place that kidnaps mortals. Apparently, everyone needed time manipulation from time to time and with Cronus out of the picture they were the only reliable time manipulators.

After an enlightening talk to Mr, D Percy headed back to his cabin. That night got no sleep Percy could not believe that the pair of earplugs he got could not block the sound of snoring from Tyson and there was no place to charge the noise cancelling headphones. He was wrong there was a problem with having the comic relief around twenty-four seven, Percy spent that night contemplating any other problems and making advanced plans and solutions.

This had him breaking into the Athena cabin and having all their books about cyclops temporally seized. They were not very happy that they had to wake up but Percy was sure they would get over it.

X

Charles Beckendorf considered himself a helpful and friendly person, he was a bit dubious about the Percy character, the guy seemed a bit unstable. This was why when, the clearly most powerful demigod in camp demanded, "Charles your good with the forge I have a new student, for you or one of your cabin members." He didn't reply with an objection.

The raven-haired intruder stepped to the side as if revealing a great price, Beckendorf had seen the Cyclops immediately after opening the door and already put the clues together. This was another reason he had not objected, he would refuse to take anyone who was not genuinely interested. But if someone was genuinely interested then he would teach them all he could and it was well known that cyclops have great forging potential.

X

Percy when back to his cabin to sleep now the snoring machine was off his hands, he would have liked to give the Cyclops to the Athena cabin to help with tycoons lack of general knowledge, this could lead to extremely hilarious hijinks thus comic relief, the hijinks was not worth the risk. But unfortunately, they continued there death glares all through lunch.

Percy ended sleeping the day away, he had not had a really nice sleep since the casino, not that the camp beds were all that good, just better than hotel ones.

He woke up to a knock on the door, refusing to get out of the warm comfy bed he used some solid form water manipulation to open the door, "yes" he answered craning his neck to see that it was Clarisse at the door.

She entered taking a seat that he dragged from the other side of the room to his bedside, "I got a quest." Percy waited for her to expand, she just sat there.

In order to continue the stunted conversation and eventually get back to sleep, Percy asked, "So?"

"I need more people on the quest." Percy thought that he knew where this was going, but he also thought that Clarisse knew him better than making this request. So in the past time of optimistic folk everywhere he hoped his sleep was not disturbed by what he currently suspected it was disrupted by.

Rather then complete alienation, Percy went with a polite-ish, "good luck."

The way she stuck around after a murmur of thanks Percy considered the impolite options he had at this point. Maybe a, 'fuck off' but that was a lot of escalation, but she had woke him up. Before he could rationalize the escalation, Clarisse spoke up, "would you come on the quest?"

She barely got the words out before Percy scowled, "no."

She had a semi-involuntary, "Why?" it sounded somewhat winey to Percy.

He looked her straight in the eye for the next four words, "I don't want to." he lay back on, looking up at the bottom of the bed above him, "I find, I care for little else other than gaining understanding of the mystical world, and this quest will not help me."

Percy continued on, if she decided that they needed to fight then it would diminish any chance of going back to sleep. "As you are the leader of the quest then you get to ask the council for whatever, and I get nothing." Percy gave her a grin seeing that her train of thought had changed and now she was thinking about potentially great rewards. "Personally I would request a new electric spear your last one burnt down in the forest fire didn't it."

X

Clarisse was not sure if she felt the need to vomit from excitement or fear she was going on a one-woman quest to save the camp. She still felt the need to remind her father, "The prophecy says, that I will fail without friends." Her dad did not look happy as he stared through the iris message.

"I guess that you will just have to be good friends with your shipmates, I was going to wait till tomorrow, but it seems you have forced my hand, there will be a ship to transport you tomorrow morning." He changed his demeanour making this next bit a command, "you will not bring any other campers."

Clarisse guessed it was a good thing Percy turned her down in his own odd way even if he was the most powerful demigod, she had a feeling that he would be there anyway, despite his declaration to not care.

X

Percy wondered if he was stretching too much when he answered in his monotone drawl, "I would tell you to eat shit but.." he struggled, "well you know." He had spent the last few days memorising food puns and using them as often as he could around Tantalus. In return the new head of activity's punished Percy in any way he could, this was rather ineffective.

When Percy was meant to show up and help the harpy's clean up, he just didn't show. As Mr D was not going to force Percy and Tantalus couldn't force him, so it didn't really matter what the guy wanted.

Tantalus did get Poseidon cabin banned from some race, this was a sort of relief to Percy. He knew he would have pawned all of the work on Tyson even though it probably would not end well. Percy knew he would have done it anyway. After talking to Tyson about it, it was also good for the big guy, he had become an honorary member of cabin 9 and would help them, Percy was excited about when they would pull the bull from the big house, it would be incredible if Tyson could ride the thing.

As Tantalus went on a diatribe about the nutrients found in feces, that would hold up breakfast another hour, and potently make everyone puke. Percy idly wondered what his objective was. Well other than delight in the misery of the children that could not start breakfast without the criminals say so. It was not like there could be any further escalation, the previous member of the fields of punishment couldn't do anything but wordplay without Percy escalating first, and Percy was just not willing to escalate. Percy decided that he didn't actually need to listen to the inane dribble coming from the guy's mouth, so Percy set up his camping stuff and started cooking some bacon and eggs during, the angry diatribe.

X

It was dark and Percy was heading back to his cabin from the lake it was already past curfew, Percy didn't believe any of the staff would eat the campers. Last year he figured it couldn't be true, he had slept on the roof of cabin 11 last year so that means that sleeping on the roof of the cabin is not out of bounds or the harpies was a fabrication. This knowledge or the idea he could kill them if it came down to it and it was not a fabrication, didn't waylay his fear of a death by a flock of bird lady's.

Percy was considering the horror of death by bird lady, when the lake nymphs river yes it was meant to be ironic, no he didn't know why, "So?" she must have asked a question.

"Um, can you please repeat that?" Percy asked in his most apologetic voice

"You are required at the sea." Percy wondered how she ended with 'So', the first time she asked as he made his way over to the beach. He decided it didn't really matter as he found a being that was sucking in more mystical energy than Dionysus but dressed up as a casual jogger.

Percy stopped himself from snapping 'what you want', dealing with anything of this much power would mean that he would soon be expected to put an effort in something, that had a low potential to be pleasant, so he asked the same question just with some more eloquence "how can I help?"

The godly being turned and replied, "help me, help the family."

X

Herms new he had a soft spot for family, it actually sometimes appeared as a fatal flaw in his children as, unconditional forgiveness. So he knew it was Luke's best chance if his son saw the prophesied one working for the gods then, he might just stop this foolish rebellion before he died. If the other reason this was all happening turned out to be true, then that it really was not worth contemplating.

"How. Why, What do you expect. And your name, there are a lot of you Olympians, I wouldn't want to insult with the wrong guess." Herms understood the implications, even if the demi-god didn't, fully comprehend how his actions would be read. It was a simple trade of information in preparation for a larger trade. It would establish tentative trust, as well as signalling that he wanted something to do with herms Olympian status, or maybe that was reading too deeply.

None of that was a reason not to answer the questions, herms did have a moment of hesitation when he wondered. how the demigod knew he was a god."I wish you to get aboard a ship still fairly close called the princess Andromeda. Then you will find Luke's cabin aboard, you will try to convince him to come back to his family. This is because the family is the most important. To be honest I don't expect you to convince him. but make sure he knows, the family will always be welcomed home with open arms."

"if Luke is aboard a ship, is it full of monsters?" Herms fidgeted at that he had no idea how the demi-god came to that conclusion, it is not like he was a child of Athena. And anyone who was just asking to go confronts a ship full of monsters was not going to be happy with the requester.

"Teleportation, I what to be able to go anywhere any time. I want to know if one of the potential powers of your children is teleportation." Herms was expecting Percy to be a little less blunt, but as he considered the improbable request he found the bluntness refreshing.

Herms thought about the first part of the request he didn't have the power to give the child unlimited teleportation or any teleportation for that matter, he couldn't even pressure hades to bless the child with shadow travel. He did know of items that would let the user teleport but they were lost during the Titan war. The theory of the other part of the request was interesting

In theory one of his kids could get a demigod copy of godly teleportation, or any demigod for that matter but it was a non-starter because there was too much power involved for a demigod to replicate it even if they had the ability. Gods had to go into their godly form to do the teleportation and some of the weaker minor gods couldn't even get enough power to teleport. There where hades kids that could replicate shadow travel but it was not like he had his individual travel type, so he couldn't imagine one of his children getting something that didn't exist, he did find it odd that the god of travellers didn't have an individual teleportation ability but there was nothing for it.

"No, I can't help and No, not unless they became a minor god." Herms let the child think the information over and sat there quietly dealing with some new emails that just came in, he had got three done when Percy gave a hesitant tap on his shoulder.

"How about Aura control, if I'm to go through a monster-infested ship it would be nice to hide my aura." Herms didn't want to argue with that, there could be a point that demigods need to face their own challenges that were the entire point of the ancient laws, but how could you ask someone who didn't want to fight, to fight without being the bag guy so what was giving a way to avoid the violence.

Herms did a few quick chants the demi-gods neckless glowed, it might have been breaking the Ancient laws if he made the neckless automatically suppress the child's aura, but herms figured it would be ok he gave the neckless the ability to suppress Aura but the demigod would need to use the ability rather than it happening automatically.

It was not really like the council would complain, they did give him consent to attempt his plan that would return his. He was surprised that he got the backing from Apollo and Athena when he suggested the plan, those two barely ever agreed on anything. Herms really hoped his son could be pulled from his path and figured he didn't what to consider the alternative if his son was not in control.

They sat there for a minute as Herms considered potential repercussions of giving Percy a magical item, He was surprised how quickly the demigod picked up the use of the enchanted neckless, the kid of Poseidon must have been very proficient with Aura sensing, no wonder why he was spotted so easily, the suggested companions where arriving. "Well it is time for me to head off, places to be people to meet, just keep in mind the help is well-intentioned."

From what Herms learnt of Percy, the kid would have ended up blaming the two demigods for everything that went wrong on the quest, he personally would have sent the kid alone but the council dictated it must happen this way. He vanished leaving Percy with a rapidly forming scowl, it was when he got back to his palace on Olympus and got back to work did Martha think it was a good time to remind him that he still had the vitamins and wind, good thing there was enough supply's for three in the cyclops's bag.

X

Annabeth had figured out it must be a godly ruse because when she and Tyson arrived at the beach there was a flash that had the world looking like it was daytime for a second, "I will just solidify water and the three of us will travel to the ship on It." Percy answered the unasked question as he walked up to them and took a pack from Tyson.

Annabeth didn't trust Percy, he didn't act at all like a demigod he was friends with Dionysus and actively refused to care about anything. So to have him hear informing her and Tyson that the immediate objective is the ship, was out of character for Percy. This meant that the god had convinced him to do something or other, Annabeth suspected it was to help Clarisse with her quest.

But Annabeth's problem was she didn't know how Percy was convinced, it was payment then he would probably be professional about it, but if he was threatened in to it then she and Tyson would take full blame in his mind for what forced in to the situation, knowing Percy, he would probably blame them for everything anyway. So Annabeth felt reasonable for asking a simple question to judge his mood, "how do we know you will not soak us."

Annabeth idly noted that Tyson had begun talking to the ocean as Percy got a look saying that soaking them was a great idea. Annabeth was outraged with herself for giving Percy an idea, "it will be faster than swimming, the ship is already getting away."

Annabeth was half congratulatory to Percy for successfully avoiding the question, and half pissed off because she knew the second he could without jeopardizing the mission, was the second she would be soaked. The fact he was not already considering something that had him roll his eyes at the lame suggestion meant that he was at least taking this seriously.

Annabeth was forming a plan that would get him to back into a corner and promise not to soak her, his promises probably meant nothing but a bit of hesitation, but if he hesitated for a second then that was another second he was not wet. There was a splash, Annabeth was shocked in a stunned state, "all nice and drenched, ready to go?"

Just as they got to the water, two hippocampi appeared out of the surf, Tyson got on the big one saying, "thank you, daddy." Annabeth could see Percy role his eyes as she got on the smaller hippocampus. Percy just began to float in the air following as the mythical beasts headed out to see, she silently raged that he was able to fly and she couldn't, why did the asshole get all the abilities.

A.N.

Part two up relatively soon.


	3. Book 2 Part 2

Book 2 part 2

X

Tyson liked the fish house that he had road and did not what to leave it behind, but Percy forced him to when they got to the boat. Percy would not even listen to him about how the fish horse was the best, his brother just strode forward forcing Tyson to either sneak on board after Annabeth or fall behind. He had not forced his way through the camp border for nothing, so Tyson followed Annabeth, who intern followed, Percy. Sneaking around the ship Tyson thought it was like a spy movie, he imagined the mission impossible music in his head.

This all came to an abrupt halt as Percy led them into a cabin, Tyson sat down dutifully at Percy's motion to do so, Annabeth was a bit more stubborn and only accepted Percy's request after he dried her with his water powers. Tyson felt a bit of jealousy at his brother's ability, they had the same father, why couldn't Tyson make the water bend to his will.

"So here is the plan you two stay, I will go confront Luke. When I give you the signal together you detach a life raft and make it ready for a quick escape." Percy explained to Tyson and Annabeth. The entire time Percy was explaining the plan he was digging around in his bag, the moment he finished the explanation he brought out a pair of walkie talkie's still packaged. Percy had Tyson rip open the packaging, he through one to Percy and put the other in his pocket ready for the signal then his brother departed.

That left him in the room with Annabeth alone, that is not good for Tyson. He had learnt about Percy, his brother had two moods there was fun, and there was serious. Deep in his bones, Tyson knew Percy would not hurt him, so even when Percy was serious and Tyson made the situation worse he knew that Percy would just walk off. Annabeth had only shown him anger and from what the forge kids had said she would be violent.

This fear exacerbated by her continuing darkening mood, so when Annabeth declared, "I'm going." Tyson didn't even bother to protest, he would just tell Percy when the signal was sent.

It was a minute later the radio activated, "Tyson this is the signal, I'm heading in." The whispered command came over the walkie-talkie, Tyson tried to activate his end but the cheap plastic, broke in his grip. This was not good but then Tyson thought of the story that Percy had told him, Percy was good at not good. It would all be ok Tyson comforted himself with that thought as he began to set the escape.

X

Luke was put out by the sudden arrival of Percy, he had paperwork to do and having sudden unknowns, was not conducive to completing the paperwork. What a sad thought, he was here stuck going over the movements of his fledgling army, balancing supplies with a combination of monster and demigod power.

"What do you what?" Luke asked as he activated the silent alarm, Percy would only have three minutes until every monster on this ship was swarming his office and the rest of this deck looking for the Son of Poseidon.

"A few things," Percy said as he pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and unfolded it. "One, to know how you teleported. Two, make you aware that you are still not too late to turn back and make amends. Herms said and I quote, the family will always be welcomed home with open arms."

Percy tossed the piece of paper over his shoulder having finished reading it. Luke decided that he would stay quiet in a delay tactic, there were only two and a half minutes left a quarter of his army was most likely up and arousing the others. The delay tactic didn't work because of only moments into the silence, Percy turned and began to leave obviously seeing through it.

Luke decided that he could let Percy know a bit more about the teleportation if it delayed him, "So," Luke began with to get Percy's attention, and it did work Percy turned back to face Luke. "I have a device that lets me teleport." Luke pulled it out of his right-hand side desk drawer, Percy's eyes locked on to it.

"How did you get it." The was so much need behind the question that it through Luke for a loop. Why would Percy need to be able to teleport, it was useful but the time between jumps, the concentration needs to make it work. Limited its capability Luke would get stabbed if he tried to use it in battle.

Luke didn't want a potential enemy to have something they needed, so instead of informing Percy about the usefulness of having a titan like Prometheus on their side. He switched Percy's attention to the casket by addressing the second reason Percy was here. "I will never ask for forgiveness and I will never need to, for my side is the winning side." Luke then grandly gestured to the casket, "This holds Cronus, and every time a new half-blood joins the campaign another part of him is revitalised, soon he will rise and take Olympus apart stone by stone."

Luke had absently noted that when he invoked the name, 'Cronus' the room had grown cold and the light had dimmed just like every other time. But Percy obviously had taken an interest, the most disconcerting stare Luke had ever felt was pinned on him, "how does the name evocation work? Is it a manifestation of sentience? Is it automatic like the thunder boom for a river Stix pact? Is it just an intimidation tactic?" The way the kid was half staring n glassy-eyed at the casket and half-manic focus still on him, Luke didn't want to give an answer, maybe stalling had been a bad idea.

With a resigned internal sigh, Luke gave a half shrug, encouraging himself with the knowledge if Percy were to try and kill him, then there was only 1 minute left until there would be monsters swarming in the door, giving him back up. From Percy's stare becoming a full glassy-eyed stare at the casket and began mumbling to himself, Luke figured he was in the clear for now.

For only seconds later his honorary little sister to barge in covered with monster dust, she was panting with exertion. Luke wondered if he could kill Percy while the kid was still focused on the coffin for bringing his little sis into the fray.

X

Percy refocused on the world around him when he heard the doors bang open. He would have gone back to contemplating the sarcophagus if he had not seen the literal see of monsters outside the door. They closed and the instant later Annabeth splayed out in front of them heaving deep gasps after the blond got it her breathing under control, she spotted Luke she postures screaming rage.

Percy rather than focus on the impending argument sunk into his sensing and felt more blank areas of null water then he had ever felt before. Fuck there were a lot of monsters on board the ship some in shapes that Percy had never seen or heard of before.

Percy then felt for moisture lying dormant on their skin due to how they were out at sea and the temperature meant that the humidity was high and there was plenty of liquid lying about ready to be used. Percy pushed himself to his limit, solidifying all of the errant water and crushing nearby monsters with it, but it was not enough only about half of the monsters got dusted. So he looked for a source of strength before he could collapse, he found it in the sea, he began drawing strength from the sea it was an incredible rush he would equate to the mystical version of touching a live wire, the rest of the monsters was dusted instantly.

Percy was barely able to stop himself from dusting Tyson by accident, so he stopped drawing strength, as the darkness closed over his vision he wondered if it had been a mistake, he could have stayed awake of the escape if he continued to draw strength. Well, it was too late when Percy collapsed with a thud.

X

Annabeth could not believe the gall of Luke, to say that his attack on Thalia was not a betrayal, or how he said that their saviour would have joined his side, she spun out of a thrust of backbiter. It was all bullshit, he was trying to make her angry and slip up, she parried another slash. The worst bit it was working, she was getting mad, and getting sloppy, backbiter came down in a wide arc, she stepped in Luke's guard and got a knee to her stomach for the trouble.

The doors banged open for the second time tonight, Tyson came through wide-eyed, Annabeth looks to see Tyson was looking, he was looking at Percy laying on the ground unconscious. Luke sword cut into her left shoulder, "Tyson let's get going." She continued to cover Tyson's retreat, as the Cyclops picked up Percy and began on what she assumed was the way to their escape craft.

She gave a final push when Tyson exited, the sudden attack worked, Luke was on his ass and she was sprinting after the cyclops. Luckily it seemed that the monsters had evacuated, this was good because it let Annabeth clearly find where Tyson was going, Annabeth found that keeping up with a cyclops was a bit past her capability's. But also cause a large bit of apprehension, demigods didn't get lucky unless they were or around a child of Tyche.

Considering all the worst options she could think of and plan for, Annabeth didn't notice that Tyson had made a sudden stop around the next corner, she slammed into his back. From the way her injured shoulders pain flared up worse than ever it might be broken or dislocated, "how did you dust all the monsters?"

Annabeth's mind was reeling from the new information, she stood up shakily and peered around Tyson, it must have been a group of 5 demigods or so. They had formed a loose semicircle blocking off the path, the centre guy began to speak again, "one last time what the fuck did you do to dust all the monsters." Now that she had actually listened she heard the faint tremor and new she had to capitalise on it.

Grandly stepping out from behind the cyclops Annabeth threatened, "get out of my way right this moment or the same thing that happened to your precious monsters, will happen to you." Then she began striding forward and the five scrambled out of the way.

The message must have spread, there were where able to make their way to the life raft with no more interruptions, Tyson had set it up well they got in and made there escape. That night Annabeth wondered how long Percy would be out if it was true, and he had just dusted a ship of monsters. She was a bit sceptical that this was the case, and he was not just knocked out by whatever cause it. The only thing that worked in his favour was that Tyson somehow lived through the smiting, but that meant it was just a force for good, not specifically Percy.

X

Clarisse determined that following her instincts was a good idea, she might not consider the trio friends but she was friendly enough with them. The Confederate zombie soldiers had grumbled about her taking too much time but the extra day she spent at sea let her find the trio stranded on a life raft, there only use water manipulator knocked out.

What a confusing jumble of events, without Percy to actually clarify, what she could conclude as facts were someone, most likely a god, had enlisted Percy to break on to the princess Andromeda and do something to Luke. Tyson thought that it was to talk and Annabeth thought it was to Assassinate, but she couldn't really trust Annabeth's judgment with what happened after, and she couldn't really trust the cyclops judgment either.

The events become more ordered, but no less confusing after that. Percy puts both of them in a cabin and tells them to prepare the escape on his signal, then after he leaves Annabeth goes after him, Tyson prepares the boat. Percy confronts Luke to do or attempt to do whatever the mystery patron wants. Tyson is caught by monsters and is forced to come up with the rest of them, Annabeth fights through a ship full of monsters converging on Percy's position, to bust in and see Percy caught up in examining a coffin. She fights Luke, Percy collapses then with mystery connection all the monsters get dusted. Tyson not dusted and not caught by monsters busts in just like Annabeth, he collects Percy under Annabeth's instruction, and they escape with a good bluff on the part of Annabeth.

Clarisse despite Annabeth's disbelief thinks that Percy could have dusted a ship full of monsters, but she decides not to voice this opinion, as she looked over the two conscious new crewmates. They began to fidget during the long silence, would they be a burden or a relief she still didn't know where she was going in the sea of monsters, maybe they had the answer to where they needed to go. "Ok you three can stay but you will help on the ship, and make up for the work that Percy is not doing."

The next three days the crew became very impressed with the new crew Annabeth had the good sense to keep her mouth shut to the sailors and their opinions on slavery, Jackson was the last name of a high up army commander and Tyson was apparently an expert engineer. Clarisse had a hard time believing the last but the ship was running smoother than ever, that could also be attributed to having a child of Poseidon on board.

Unfortunately, an unconscious child of Poseidon was not much help with crossing the barrier into the Sea of monsters, with his help Clarisse was sure that she could take on the monster that sucks in the water then spits it out. But Annabeth was able to convince her without a powerhouse to hold them still while they aimed and fired it would be an impossible fight, so she decided to sneak under the one that stole people from the deck of ships.

"What you mean we can't run the engine and be below deck?" Clarisse growled at her second in command.

The zombie began to blubber, "The engine was old and inefficient it creates more heat then it should, that makes the metal of the hull heats up quicker then the sea cools it. This tern the underbelly of the ship into an oven, it would cook you alive."

"best we keep the engine off." The zombie went off to make sure the request was seen to, Clarisse had discovered that the zombies where better when given requests rather than orders.

She turned to get the know it all's opinion, in a voice, Clarisse found very grating Annabeth began, " well this is unexpected, my first thought is to lower the oars and row but Scylla would probably destroy the oars." Clarisse knew that there were no oars on this ship. "We could activate the engine interminably going until it got too hot stopping until it cools down then going again." She wondered if the explanation for intermittent was for her or the cyclops.

The girl continued to rattle off ideas on how to get moving, Clarisse tuned out the racket. The babble continued until with all the cyclopes just spoke over Annabeth directly to Clarisse, "we just wait." It was a good idea letting the currents take them past was a better idea than whatever the blond come up with.

X

Scylla would have heaved a sigh if she still had the biology for it, but she didn't. now some might be wondering why a monster knows what biology is. And for the very astute of you might be the wonder, how one of the beings that lived on earth 2000 years ago until they were the court in a pissing match between two immortals and turned in to a monster, knows what Heaving a sigh is.

These are both simple questions that have one answer, Scylla got board. Most of the people she caught she was forced to eat, the mortals would not stop screaming, fucking mist. The gods spawn depending would not stop raging about monsters or would break down with the thought of imamate death. There were a few clear sited mortals that were reasonable and told her of the outside world and the progress they made as a species. All the 'new', sounded amazing and made her cursed existence on the rocky outcrop all the worse for not being able to see it.

Seeing a crewed shiny boat come from the sunrise Scylla got a bit nervous, would they pass under her, would they have clear-sighted mortal on board, to get information of the new world, but as they got within the vicinity of her reach the crew despaired below the deck.

Long ago this would have been problem, the wooden ships that had a crew that knew her weakness would just sail through unheeded, one time she tried to try and pick up the wood ship it just broke, and all the sailors escaped. But after a conversation with a nice man she caught called Jerry, who thought that she could probably lift one of the metal ships being the ships that were shiny, she gave it a go the next time one came around. To her surprise it was so heavy she had to use two tentacles, but it was able to hold it' self together. Jerry left on that ship saying he would make up a believable explanation about what happened to the crew that she had eaten three out of the fifty.

It began to slow down as it approached her cliff, but not waiting to encase it started up again she snapped out her tentacles around the front and the back, it was slippery, must be an old ship. It was a bit of maneuver to get a good grip, but it came out of the water no problem. The problem was when it was out of the water, the crew must have noticed something was wrong the blades of the engine were shaking, they started up and cut the tentacle around the back of the ship.

Scylla instinctually let go of the thing that caused her pain, now only holding up the ship by the tentacle around the front of it, it dangled there for an instant before her ears were assaulted by an awful screech. The ship was torn in half, it was an agonising sight, as the weight was too much on her one tentacle she as forced to drop the ship.

X

Percy absolutely hated Demi-god dreams, sleep was a time to rest and recuperate. It should not be a time to be forced to have an outer body experience, especially an outer body experience of your own body, how drab. To top it off, whichever entity forced him to be conscious for five days straight, even when all of his entertainment went to sleep, would not even reveal themselves.

This left him with a simmering pot of rage that he was having difficulty dispelling, it was like forgiving someone for beating on you while they were beating on you. He would try to move past they trapped in an incorporeal state, forced to watch events unfold without his input, why would Tyson or Annabeth think it was a good idea to go into the sea of monsters, and they had to drag his body along with them. But anytime he tried to interact with the few meters he could venture around his body nothing would happen, restabilising his 0 amount of agency and his anger with it.

Percy's inability to get rid of his unwanted emotions exacerbated the situation, the inability to get rid of the anger making Percy even angrier, increasing the difficulty of getting rid of the anger making Percy even angrier, and this would have continued in an ever depressing spiral. If there was not a new discovery to contemplate.

His water control and all related ability's was minimal, it was as though he never had used them before. The easy conclusion he came to was that it was a limit by whichever entity did this. The other more interesting explanation he came up with, suggested that a body was an amplifier and because he had practised with his body its amplification was powerful. He couldn't come up with a way to test his theory without having a willing god and a test partner that sparingly used there ability's if his theory was correct then they would become better with their powers while inside him and he would become worse whilst inside them.

Percy was confident that his theory was actually correct, he could still use his aura sense making the first theory seem rather unlikely, and there was absolutely no aura within his body. It would be useful to check another demigod while having a demigod dream.

Either is anger or his contemplations did not help one bit, the stupid twits did what the monsters wanted, he would have either flown over the sucky one or dived under the grabby one. But they just followed what others had already done, he could probably semi sink the ship, move it across then just expel the water used to sink it, unsinking it. It would work brilliantly, but there were the water pressure and breathability issues, that would have to be worked on, and he would have to wake up.

All of Percy 's reservations seemed to come to reality in an instant when the ship started lifting. In his incorporeal form he noticed first, he was still unless he left the few meters range of his body or he wanted to move. This did mean that he had to concentrate to move forward at the rate the ship moved forward or he would be dragged along by the boundary, but it also meant that when everything around him began to move up relative to him he could tell something was wrong. He rose as far as he could through to the top deck he could not get his shins past the deck, his feet at the edge of the metaphorical boundary, but what he saw was not pleasant and just proved that doing what was expected was a bad idea.

There were two tentacles wrapped around the front and back of the boat, by the way, he had to keep moving up to see, the ship must be rising quickly. Then there was the sound of the engine and a whine of pain. The tentacle around the back of the ship let go. And the way Percy was dragged across the sky by his feet disoriented him badly.

The next thing he was aware of was the water, he was wet. It was the mere moments until his water sensing had given him a clear picture of what was going on, Having his body back made the sensing a trivial effort, what might actually cause a problem was the sinking ship and all that was caught in its pull. Most situations it would not matter how good a swimmer you are if you're trapped near a sinking ship, you would be dragged down with the rest of the displaced water unless it was a dinghy or small boat. Luckily for Clarisse, Annabeth and Tyson Percy was fully aware of the situation and was reluctant to let them die with how they had saved his life. Annabeth and Tyson getting him off Luke's ship, and Clarisse stopping them all die at seeing.

With a fairly high amount of skill, if one were to ask Percy, he grabbed the three with the currents and brought them to one of the pieces of the hull, that broke off and managed to keep afloat. They got there a bit before he got there himself, it was a momentary effort to expel the water in Tyson's and Clarisse's lungs.

Annabeth seemed to have a knock on her head after Tyson stopped spluttering Percy ordered, "Tyson check on Annabeth."

The voice had brought Clarisse to consciousness, she whispered: "what the fuck is going on?"

Percy was glad that he had not saved any of the zombie crew, other than the fact he was currently keeping the metal afloat and it would be harder the more body's there were on board. He didn't like that they would follow Clarisse 's orders, she could order them slaughtered and then it would have been wasted to save the zombies. He had a feeling if there were still any undead, they would be attacking everything in sight including him.

"I want answers and I want them now." She demanded.

Tyson looked across, "Monster ripped ship in half, Percy saved us."

A grin began to tug at Percy's face, he might need to keep this metal afloat until they could get to an island, but it would be entertaining.

X

Circe was reading through Sally's permit request, she did like sally but the girl had only been here 100 years. Circe had not lived this long by being reckless and it was just too much leeway. She picked up the denied stamp, as the door swung open letting in Rosella.

"Mistress, there are some new arrivals." Circe held in her sigh of minor exasperation, did Rosella actually think that she wouldn't be aware of the piece of scrap that had come floating over from the direction of Scylla and Charybdis. Even if the thing was too far to see with the human site she could already tell that the scrap had two males and two females on it.

Circe took a quick peek inside Rosella's mind, the girl had always seemed to have a smart head on her shoulders, she was curious what caused this sudden folly. The chain of events revealed themselves slowly, it was Amelia that had caused this. Circe would have to get Amelia back for this, and she would need to use Rosella or less it would not be ironic enough.

Circe put down the stamp and stood, "I guess I better check it out, can you please inform Amelia she must go to her room." That would work out well, Amelia was always stubborn. She would most likely not go to her room on the word of Rosella, then after dealing with the two new islanders and the new beasties, she could punish Amelia for her disobedience or Amelia would go to her room and Circe would get some peace and quiet for the rest of the day. Amelia would end up seeing through it after some time, but Circe really didn't have all that much time to make a convoluted plan.

As Circe made her way to greet the new adventurers, one may wonder why an evil thaumaturge thought that having convoluted plans was a good idea, convoluted plans have the least likely success rate. But success is not what Circes liked, what was the feeling of accomplishment of getting a simplistic plan to work compared to the feeling of accomplishment from getting a convoluted plan to work, that feeling is what Circes finds valuable.

She knew where the makeshift raft was so she made her way to the docks, when Circe arrived at the docks then she changed the path of the raft. Now it would end up at the docks instead of landing at the southern beach. There was a little pushback, maybe a child of a minor water god was on board, but there were on her enchanted waters, so there was nothing there could do. It sent a bit of distaste to Circe's mouth to think that this group of four where all demigods. It is a rare thing to have an undiscovered demigod arrive at the island, it is also rare that a group of four with a demigod have only one mystical person in their group. The smart expectation is that it is a group of four demigods, and is just not palatable.

Anyway look at it she loses, if they are a group from 'camp-half blood' or whatever the current place they train demigods, then she is a villain and it is extremely difficult to turn them to her side. On the hand if by some happenstance it was a group of four undiscovered demigods that somehow ended up in the sea of monster together, then they would have a strong bond, the females would actually care about the males.

While Circe contemplated the issues of the situation she has found herself in, she is impressed by the efficiency with which whoever was fighting her figured out it was frivolous and stopped. She was not all that impressed when the mystery demigod gave up completely, this forced her to stop the raft from sinking by casting float, unlike the enchantments on the water that changed the redirection and speed of the piece of scrap, the float was a spelt that took energy to cast. Then due to the distance to the now floating piece of scrap, it was very exhausting.

She felt a bit concerned, it was a lot of magic she just used, so she took the feeling security from the thought that this island was so enchanted, that for all intensive purposes she was a good while on it. She would not say it out loud and risk drawing an immortals wrath, she would be terribly outmatched by one of the immortals even on her enchanted island, but there was no difference between one of the immortals and her when facing a demigod or a group of them.

The raft arrived and Circe dropped the spell, seeing that it was a group of young teens did more to soothe her danger sense then anything else, the odd tingle in the back of her neck was still there but it was easy to ignore, knowing that it was kids setting it off and not an actual threat.

The group of four got off the raft looking like they had just lost a fight with Cetus, one of them was unconscious, they must have been at sea trapped on that raft for a few days, three or four days by rough estimation. Some of her entourage broke off to take the girls to the spar area, where they would be relaxed and have any and all information coax out of them. Circe stayed quiet as the rest of her entourage tried to figure out what to do with the unconscious boy and the male cyclops.

And wasn't that a surprise, not four demigods, but three and a cyclops. What a shame that it was a male, the enchanted items that could be made if it was just a female. Circe decided to take a metaphorical step back and see what the rest of her entourage would do.

She found she could not disapprove of their decision, the boy was taken into the changing room, and the Cyclops was left there blocked off with magic. Their decision made sense, the last time they tried to turn a cyclops into a guinea pig the wild boar ended up killing two girls before it was restrained and slaughtered. This cyclops was a good deal smaller, but there a sense of caution was good to see in action, she could tell her girls a million times over that they need to be careful, but there is no way to test if it has stuck until put in an actual situation that requires care.

Getting back to the transformation centre the tenseness in her shoulders abated a small amount, being at the centre of her control with the squeaking reminding her of all her victory's was soothing. She just pottered around the Potions brewing area disguise as a kitchen, reorganising, ingredients, brewing supplies and the perception enchantments. Until Amelia came in looking all apologetic, "I'm sorry, mistress."

Circe didn't really feel in the mood to get a real apology out of her, so instead of asking the first of many open-ended questions, to eventually show how she is in the wrong. Circe decided to get Amelia to do a bunch of errands, it was better than nothing. "First I want the summary reports of the new group, we will see about something for you to do when you get back."

Circe slumped, she really just wanted to sleep, but she needed to complete her paperwork. She walked into the broom cupboard and came out into her study, it was a complex space transference magic but the ability to go wherever on the island with only expending the barest sliver of magic was useful. The next few hours blurred together as she distracted herself from dealing with whatever new problems these new people would bring with them, the backlog of paperwork was good for this.

X

Annabeth was having a great time she could never remember feeling this relaxed, even when everything was going great there was always a little voice in the back of her head, saying that tragedy was just around the corner. She had not even noticed it was there until it was gone. And the conversation was great, one of the higher level people was taking a break when she got here and the conversation was amazing Ronhilder genuinely cared about her plights and issues.

X

Circe jolted awake, she could feel her heart thumping in her chest, trying to remember the dream that put her in this state was a useless endeavour. She could never remember her dreams it was one of the prices for her power, she got up and realised that she had fallen asleep at her desk. That was not the best but at least she had got some sleep, that's good. Looking over her desk there were three new manila folders in the right top corner, Amelia must have brought the report by when she was asleep.

Looking over the report it must have been done by Ronhilder, she is the only one who puts the attributes of a person at the top of the report, shit she would need to go see her. Ronhilder did a thing where she removed the most distasteful of the information, the girl never seemed to grasp that negative information was still information and thus valuable.

Instead of using the space transference magic in all of the buildings, Circe decided to make her way to the administration building on foot. It gave her time to read the reports and the only conclusion was that they would need to through this group back into the sea, between the mystical competence designated to Percy, and the intolerance from being a demigod from camp half-blood.

X

Circe thought that it was a real shame a demigod so young that could use raw mystical power to float a piece of scrap 36 hours was male, only if this Percy was female then Circe might have found a true protégé that may even one day overtake her own magical ability's.

Exiting the Administration building Circe was feeling excited, she had such a convoluted plan worthy of Hera. She would turn Percy into a guinea pig, then use his sword and kill the Cyclops, then she would send one ship off and set the others on fire. After that put minor clues all over the place that would lead Annabeth to conclude that if she and Clarisse went after the quest objective the fleece then he would kill them. Circe could not believe that Ronhilder actually omitted that they were on a quest, it makes sense that Ronhilder omitted the relationship between the girls and Percy it was not a good one, Percy just seemed to be a bad person all around, this was the linchpin to the convoluted plan. Was the male demigod cruel evil and vindictive enough to make it believable or would the girls need to be killed to stop from causing havoc on the island.

After the girls were trapped on the island, the community would slowly force them to remove there prejudice towards evil, until they would be willing to learn magic. If it is death, then flames would be the way to go, fighting the fire was a losing prospect for demigods unless they are the spawn of Hephaestus, and neither of these girls is.

Entering the changing room Circe wondered what Amelia was playing at. The girl was sitting on the couch that had the next guinea pig, she was stroking the boy's hair as though she was taking care of a person who was sick, much to affectionate for Circe's liking.

"What are you doing?" Circe's initial question was asked in a whisper, to keep the male from waking up.

"Keeping him asleep" the answer from Amelia was not whispered.

Circe looked at the realm of magic and saw the type of spell that Amelia was using, it was definitely an insult for putting her in a position where she had to wait around a few hours. What sort of a person uses a battle level sleep spell, that requires a continuous cast and needs to be, applied through contact with the head.

"Where did I go wrong with you?" Circe asked the air, as she went over to the powder that when added to magically enhanced water the liquid will turn the drinker into a guinea pig.

"Oh, it wasn't your fault, I came here messed up." Even though she didn't look, Circe new Amelia was grinning to herself, over the implication that Circe had not been able to help. Circe stepped out of the illusionary kitchen with the transformation mixture in her hand. Amelia was looking amused, the girl must have assumed that she won because Circe had not responded. Circe opened the mouth of the sleeping soon to be a guinea pig and poured the transformation mixture all across his face. Only a few drops are needed to activate it, and then the magically enhanced water sustains it indefinitely.

There was an about half a minute of coughing and spluttering before it turned to the squeaks that Circe found so soothing. There were precious few moments of the squeaking before the room became silent, a smile appeared on Circe's face at the thought of how badly the rodent boy must be freaking out.

The sorceress looked to Amelia, she would have expected a comment out of the girl by now. There was only a moment to notice how red her face was before all of the blood exploded out of Amelia, landing all over Circe. The thaumaturge screamed in horror, then as if the blood had a mind of its own the liquid rushed into her mouth and nose. Having her breathing cut off by sentient blood, had her state of panic. What did help was the exercise of taking a deep breath in and out, even if there was no air to accompany the action it's familiarity had a calming effect.

The solution came to her an instant later, she vanished the blood. Circe took a deep breath, something was wrong but she could not put her figure on it. So she focused on the world around her and what was happening shocked her to her core, Percy had recreated his body out of the magically enhanced water. The rodent was splayed out flat in the head, where the brain should be, it was rather horrifying. This was the last thing Circe thought before everything went dark.

X

There is an interesting thing to note about how enchanting works.

Commonly when talking about mystical beings performing mystical feat's it is instinctual and heritage based on what they can do, when talking specifically about magic this changes. When using these mystical ability's they are usually powered by the individual using them, an individual will absorb the mystical energy from around them (the chaos shadow).

The amount of mystical energy, and speed with which a mystical being take in the energy, paired with how fatigued they get from the process of expelling that energy, is how power levels are determined. Zeus is better than the other Olympians thus he is king, Dionysus was better than Hestia thus he became an Olympian.

Magic is different after a mystical being absorbs energy over time, some of it get for lack of a better term (distilled). This potential to change the world is the explanation why when categorising mystical beings they can commonly perform feats that have nothing to do with their inherited ability's.

All immortals can teleport, this ability is not a mystical feat it is a magical one. Demigods being so far removed from chaos often don't use their magic consciously or are even aware that it is happening, when fighting most demigods magic activates enhancing their ability to perceive the world and the specifics of a fight. Controlling the mist is odd because it is like all of the magical things that demigods can do purposely, it is performed across multiple mystical categories. But is a magical ability because the mystical being needs magic to actually manipulate the mist, there is a direct collation between the amount of magic a being currently has distilled and the amount of mist they can manipulate and like all these cross-category feats none of the magic is expelled from the being counterintuitively increasing the fatigue.

Enchanting is an esoteric form of magic use, that was rediscovered by Circe. It is where a mystical being, for example, Circe, expels her magic in a controlled way so that it is absorbed into an object or area. This gives one higher control over the item or place by having a tangential connection to it. The amount of control is directly proportional to the amount of magic expelled into an item or place. Part of the reason enchanting fell from memory was the difficulty to keep the tangential connection active, both vast movement from what is enchanted or a lack of reenchanting can both cause the connection to break.

This is different from magic items, making an item magic is limited to immortals. Other than the specific ability an item gains from being magically boosted, it can no longer get minor irreparable damage. No longer getting minor irreparable damage is also an effect of enchanting. Unlike a magic item, that's magical ability is self-sustaining and protection, the protection granted by enchanting is reliant on a continues tangential connection.

No immortal had ever died/faded while holding an enchantment or bothered to test if a removed enchantment has all the minor irreparable damage happen all at once when the enchantment is removed. So Circe's death answered two questions no one was asking, yes the death of the enchanter does remove the enchantment and all the minor irreparable damage does happen all at once when the enchantment is removed.

X

Percy was a bit groggy, as he looked down upon what he figured was the villain. He had basically killed her, sure he didn't strike the final blow but he was still responsible, she was not dead yet but she would be soon. She was choking on the blood of her accomplice, he figured he would never get an explanation to why a mortal was stuck with someone who had mystical powers. And mystical powers that were just added to the list of things to learn or acquire not as important as teleportation but turning people into animals seem to be more in the realm of gods, and could probably be useful.

Percy knew it was odd, being turned in to a guinea pig should have all sorts of drawbacks or inconsistencies. But it didn't, other than the general inability to interact with things in an important way it felt completely natural, it was as if he had been a guinea pig his entire life. He knew how to walk with four legs, use his tail to keep balance, he knew what all of the things he was smelling are. There was a vanilla scented candle in the kitchen, how did he know? Percy had no good answer, he had never even smelt a vanilla scented candle until he became a rodent.

After creating a body of water from water that was in the kitchen, Percy did gain a new perspective on something he had never quite understood. People always talked of being a presence separate watching from inside their own body, when talking of religious or spiritual events. This was the opposite, the guinea pig felt real but the water body felt as if it was actually Percy's presence, it made sense because that is his normal presents, but it was odd having his presents extend beyond this body.

Percy focused on what his water sense, was telling him about the place he was in. As he got a lay of the land, the place remained him of the lotus casino. Its place must be some sort of a resort, probably run by monsters but he could not sense any voids of water that would denote an average monster. That's was when the old lady started to do something other than flail, Percy considered removing the blood, and trying to get answers, but be for he could do anything she sentenced herself to death.

How did she sentence herself, she did it by removing the blood that she was chocking on by vanishing it and subsequently remove half the blood in her body. Percy found it weird to feel the water in the blood just vanish, it didn't transform or get broken down, just there one moment and not there the next. He just hoped that she was actually the villain and not the wise old lady that was meant to guide them through the sea of monsters to the wool.

After that display Percy tried to exit, he found that his hand just slid around the door handle. So he solidifies the water of the hand momentarily to opened the door to find that it was a beautiful sunny day. The palpable tension in the air, Percy found quite out of place still he acted accordingly and solidified the water in the head surrounding his small guinea pig body.

Percy rose up in his water body, looking for to see if his water sense had missed a way off this island, he noticed the docks where much bigger then what he sensed. Percy had only sensed two ships, he floated his way over to the docks, all the while looking for the fuckers that brought him on this awful quest. As much as he wanted to leave them here so he did not have to deal with them, but he would be dammed if they could stay on a tropical island while he could not. And with the deaths, of the two that turned him into a guinea pig, over his head, Percy just knew he could not stay and if he could not stay on the island then no one could.

X

Annabeth was sitting next to Clarisse, they were both next to a pool relaxing when they were rudely disturbed by what must have been Percy. He is literally the only person on this island that would spray them in the face with water rather than getting their attention by just talking.

Then the water that was sprayed everywhere formed a sentence in mid-air "time to leave NOW." This got the both of them up and following the water, it was rather terrifying having a liquid assault you then get an ominous message from the same liquid. The blob of the water became a moving arrow to show them the way, but it was always a few paces in front of them. It sort of became an odd chase, where they would be jogging and the arrow would be a bit ahead, they would sprint and then there would be a moment of delay in the arrow, but the arrow would speed a large distance ahead before then adjusting to the new pace. But no matter what combination of speed changes they used they could never catch the arrow. Eventually, Clarisse got bored and sprinted ahead of Annabeth when it was clear she could keep up, a new arrow appeared in front of Annabeth.

She only caught up once she got to the docks, Clarisse had already boarded one of the nicer wooden ships. She was waving Annabeth over, Annabeth got to the ship and found quite the site. The ship was getting itself ready for the sea, ropes were tying them self's to poles, masks were unfurling.

"What's going on ?" Annabeth yelled over the ship, but instead of getting an answer from Clarisse as she expected.

A hamster appeared in a bubble of water and waved, the water above changed to make the word, "Hi."

This pissed off Annabeth immensely, where did Percy get off treating a poor animal this way. She had reconnected with Grover on the way back to camp after being released from the casino, this year she tried to be more compassionate to plants and animals, including being more vigilant about animal cruelty. And this was ridiculous how did he even find a poor animal to torture, forcing it to be completely soaked with water then having the water forcibly move the limbs of the poor creature, it was vile.

So with a lot of genuine rages and a bit extra for Grover, she screamed, "PERCY, YOU BETTER GET OUT HERE THIS VERY MOMENT!"

What happened didn't make her any calmer but was still an impressive show of demi-god powers, the water previously only used for words, became a face that raised an eyebrow and had a speech bubble with "what?" in it.

Clarisse finally spoke but it didn't help Annabeth at all because it was an awed, "look at that." She was pointing to the island that they were leaving, shit. How had she had not even noticed they were leaving, there was still so much she wanted to do, she still had a book from the library.

What she saw when she looked back was chaos, everything was being destroyed, it looked like all the natural disasters over the last millennium where all happening at once. The library book literally turned to dust as she tried to grab it out of her bag. She would have to ask Chiron what happened.

After the violent destruction of the island stilled, Annabeth looked over the ship, she became overtaken by the same red-hot rage from before, at the site of the poor hamster in a human body made of water. The rage was definitely less intense probably because there was no third person looking at the destruction, the ship had kept moving suggesting that Percy was actually doing his job rather than get distracted.

"What was that?" Clarisse turned and asked the water body, it just splayed its hands in an 'I don't know' gesture. "Fucking useless, that's what you are." Declared the daughter of Ares, before she stomped off like a two-year-old.

Annabeth was second-guessing her assumption of Percy torturing a poor animal, after that interaction. "What happened to you?" she asked, better to get a straight answer, than no answer at all.

Water from the sea coalesced into the words, "I met an old lady and got turned in to a rodent, then escaped with you two, and I'm the useless one. What did you to do there the few hours I was asleep?"

Annabeth considered figuring out why Percy only thought they were there for a few hours, but instead she answered the question. "I went to the library and Clarisse went off to the arena, we were relaxing by the pool when you disturbed us."

There were some squeaks, Annabeth considered it was probably the equivalent of angry muttering. The seawater changed shape again to read, "what happened with Tyson?"

This sort of shocked Annabeth, why didn't Percy know where his half-brother was. With a significant amount of apprehension, she answered, "we were told he was with you."

Annabeth's rapidly increasing fear of the situation was punctuated with a few menacing squeaks. If Percy did not care enough about his brother to get him to the boat what was stopping him from throwing her overboard for pissing him off.

(One might wonder how a squeak can be menacing and I can guarantee the answer is quite the interesting one.)

Annabeth needed some information, "what are you squeaking about?" she asked in the best caring voice she had.

'Do you actually want to know?' the water text asked Annabeth could hear the sarcasm even though it was not actually spoken.

"yes." She answered simply

'The first one was – I'm fucking useless, I should have left you on the island

The second one – shit I don't need a rodent half-brother'

Annabeth thought back to the first set of squeaks, that made sense, but about brought up a very troubling question. Then she would need more of an explanation for the second set.

"You didn't leave us behind, why?" Annabeth could feel her palms sweating, she didn't really know why this felt like such a dangerous question.

'Your godly parents would probably take umbrage with me leaving you two there with someone who turns demigods into guinea pigs.'

Annabeth wisely decided to continue with asking about Tyson rather than pick apart that strangely verbose answer. "What is wrong with having a rodent half-brother?" she knew it was not the best question but better ones could wait until she didn't feel so nervous about the topic subject.

'So we where on an island, where they showed the capability to turn me into a rodent. It suggests that they can turn anyone into a rodent, and I assume that Tyson falls in this group of anyone. I could not find Tyson anywhere, given if they can turn me into a rodent and I can't turn myself back, then they could probably block Tyson from me. But I am going to assume that Tyson survived, he is a child of the sea in theory. But it would be more difficult to survive as a behemoth Cyclops rather than a pocket-sized rodent. Thus I have concluded that there is a rodent half-brother of mine being kept alive by Poseidon. Does this concluding make it fine that I am not sailing back to try and find my behemoth sized cyclops brother, yes it does.'

After reading the excuse for not turning around, she wondered how Percy had written it so well, but rather than pursue the deeper mystery's, Annabeth decided now was a good time to sleep.

They could decide where to search for the fleece tomorrow. Was the last thought as she found a bed next to Clarisse.

N.A. Hi thing to know, the next bit is important so I'm struggling it is why the rest of this book will take at least another 6 weeks Sorry


	4. Book 2 Part 3

Book 2 Part 3

A.N.

7 Weeks, soz 'exams'

Percy hated this, given it was nowhere near the animosity developed, during his prolonged out of body demigod dream experience, but having to write everything with water was a hassle and a half. He had quickly discovered some issues and found solutions, it was difficult to write in English and it is readable, so he used about half English and half ancient Greek this seemed to minimise dyslexia issues, making it more readable. Then there was being able to see it, commonly water is clear, this has another simple solution. Percy just ripples the water, by having it constantly move makes the water opaque.

All of that would be pointless, Percy never really liked having to communicate with text, but this morning he has come to a realisation that will fix that problem, and then just be a cool ability when he learns or develops a way to not be a guinea pig. Vibrations. He could not hear the first few things that Clarisse said when she arrived, because he was holding the head of the water body solidified. This safety measure to stop objects from impacting with his little rodent body, but it also stopped air movement and the sound waves carried by it. He was rendered completely deaf until the water was unsolidified.

By the time Annabeth had got to the ship, Percy had used the command word that he didn't know he knew, to get the ship to go but he had squeaked it out, so it was all the more impressive that it worked. And Percy had developed directing the sound ways through water so the girls didn't sound like they were speaking to him while they were underwater.

Being frustrated by not being capable of taking notes about Circe's island in his notebook, had Percy stay up all night, developing this skill of, talking with water. It was a complex way of vibrating water so that it created the correct soundwaves in the air to make audible and understandable English. Percy had given himself a headache already one from having the soundwaves way to high, once he got them to the right length he solidified his bubble and didn't unsolidified until he got some air movement like what the girls created, avoiding whatever the cacophony caused developing that air movement. This first sound was a 'k' after getting the rest short forms of the letters. Percy got on to the long forms "K." That was a bit difficult, but a piece of cake compared to doing two letter sounds there had to be two separate sound makers when using the 'sh' sound, one makes the initial 's' and the other does the drawn-out 'us'.

"Hi", the word came out a bit funny as it woke up the two girls on the lower deck.

There responses where a comprehensive "whaaat", from Annabeth.

An "errrrg", from Clarisse. Rumbling the sleep from her eye Clarisse became a bit more articulated, "what's going on?"

"Why are we awake?" Annabeth piled on the questioning.

"I can speak." The declaration came out a bit wobbly and was missing most to the vocal notes found when Percy normally speaks.

Yet Annabeth still replied, "Sh, Percy I was asleep." This reply was followed by her head falling back on the very old bet for just a moment, before she bolted upright, "PERCY?"

The angered shout properly woke Clarisse, who managed to trip herself up while getting out of the very old bed, face planted on the floor. "Why can we hear Percy?" the question was asked to Annabeth.

Percy figured now they were both properly up he could explain making water vibrate in a way that it creates the same air ripples as sound waves, walking down the stairs in his water body he began the explanation.

X

Percy finally finished explaining how air moving made a sound or some shit, Clarisse just yearned and said, "I get it." She then headed above deck, lies are not good but murdering a comrade is worse, and if she had listened to another minute of that babble, she just might. It was probably good that Percy didn't follower her up.

Clarisse spotted Annabeth at the front of the ship and made her way there, "What's going on up here?" Annabeth was at the steering wheel, fuck using the fancy name Percy calls it. She was hunched over a table with a lot of measuring equipment and a map.

"I'm trying to figure out where we should be going. But these maps are at least three hundred years old," Annabeth looked up at Clarisse. Annabeth looked sort of manic, "do you know what is most difficult about reading three hundred

years old? How much time had Percy wasted this morning, if Annabeth could work herself into a tizzy?

Before Clarisse could answer Annabeth answered herself, "the fact they are three hundred years old." After that outburst Annabeth put her head back down to the map, muttering and not looking two good, Clarisse tried to check the time by looking at the sun, it was maybe nine. So half an hour wasted by Percy or maybe an hour, it is difficult to judge time with the sun, she really needed to get herself a watch.

This was Percy's issue, and he would need to fix it, so with the best course of action decided, Clarisse yelled, "PERCY!"

If Clarisse would have known what would happen next, she would have adjusted course but as she lacked both social and mystical foresight she stayed on the course that she was on. As the guinea pig made its way on deck with a horrifying water body, Clarisse had an internal shudder.

What a discussing thing, he should just scamper around on the ground, or even being in a floating sphere of water would be better. That was when a stilted drone came from everywhere, a shiver ran up her spine even with such a nice sentiment as, "how can I help?"

Clarisse decided to figure what to do about the fact the voice was becoming less stilted every time she heard it, in favour of having a response to the question, "can you please help Annabeth with the old map?"

Percy did an exaggerated head turn to see Annabeth and then look back at her, Clarisse could not tell if he was giving her a death glare or a malicious grin. "What is the problem?"

"I can't tell where we are, the map is useless," Annabeth growled out.

Percy took one step forward and then another, he was pointing at the other side of the map to where Annabeth was looking, "we are here, I hope that you two don't actually think that I don't know where I said. Now I'm going to sleep I was up all night, you two take the ship and don't wake me up unless we get there or if it is an emergency that you two can't handle."

The water body walked off with the guinea pig in its head. It left a torn Annabeth between seething about Percy keeping the information to himself but jubilance over knowing their location, and a scheming Clarisse on how to get Percy back.

X

Annabeth didn't like logical arguments when they are used against her, why couldn't she go see the sirens, Clarisse said no. Given it was not that simple, the quest leader did have a few good logical arguments hence her frustration, 'Annabeth we can't go to the sirens. It is completely out of the way, pointless and very dangerous. And I can already tell you what you're a fatal flaw is like, just like any demi-god, it is that you are a half-god.'

Annabeth shook herself off, before looking back down at the map. After Percy left the information of their location plotting a course had been trivial, she had no explanation to the way Percy left the island. He left Circe's island at 60 degrees different to the island witch Annabeth figures hold the golden fleece, it does have an image of Polyphemus but then getting out of range of Circe's island, he just continued to head in a straight line. Almost like he just didn't know where the fleece was, and Annabeth could have believed that if he had not been the one to give her there position on the map in the first place.

All of this fruitless theorization was going nowhere so she focused back to the task at hand, she slightly adjusted the helm, it would let them catch a bit more wind. but it would also put them off Couse, the added speed would make up for it though. Annabeth found it was difficult to pot the best course with an old sale ship when you can't move the sale, but she was confident that she was doing alright under the circumstances.

Helm adjusted, Annabeth's mind began to wonder. How where they going to defeat Polyphemus, thinking about Odysseus she could use her cap to do a nobody routine. But Cyclops was smart and have excellent hearing, she should have asked the lady who told her the fleece was on Polyphemus island if she had any good ideas. Could they do a sneak operation, where Percy could just float out the fleece? How would they find it if was hidden, Grover would be useful, he could probably smell the nature magic from Miles around.

That got her thinking about Grover and made her wistful he was the only one left out of the four, sometimes it feels like it is just her. Thalia got herself turned in to a tree, Luke turned on them and poisoned the tree, and Grover finally left to find Pan. Annabeth was brought out of her memories by Clarisse shaking her shoulder, "is that it?"

She was pointing to the island on the starboard side, "yep." Annabeth answered with a bit of fake cheer, it got a look of, are you serious. There was stoic silence until the details of the island came in to view.

It was a beautiful sight, magnificent cliffs on one side, and a wonderful beach on the other, top with a few trees so large you could see them from this distance, backlit with an incredible sunset. The sight was a thing of fairy tales.

By the time they reached the ship, the sun was below the horizon, and the last light of dawn was fading.

"We need to discuss what to do next and we have to do it with Percy," Clarisse half questioned half stated.

"Unfortunately," Annabeth answered

They both had an uncomfortable walk to below deck, where they sat at one of the tables that were not rotting. The smell of must filled the air, the ship might have looked good but it hadn't survived the time well, Annabeth was honestly surprised with their luck it that had not fallen apart around them. There was a minute of silence, was Annabeth took this all in. it was broken with Clarisse belting out, "wake up, we 'here."

The next few moments entertained Annabeth immensely as Percy floundered to get out of the hammock he was sleeping in, right up to the point that the water body collapsed on its self. The water running all over the floor as it drained from the hammock was what happened before what could arguably be one of the cutest things ever, to be seen. It was guinea pig head poking over the side of the hammock, spiky water soaked hair, and the small gerbil face, that combined to make one of the most adorable things Annabeth had ever seen.

This increased the horror as the water body assembled it's self from the floor, seeing it in action was helpful to bring the atrocity back down to its earthly roots. It was just water even if it looked like a spectral monster with a guinea pig in its head.

The water thing made it's way over and took the third seat around the table, "So what is the plan?" this action was also a lot more humanising, the body's mouth moved as the words where created, to give the appearance that the water body was talking. The words where still stilted and awkward like this morning speech but, Annabeth figured it was just a cost of talking with water vibrations.

"So I figured since we just arrived at the island with the fleece, just as it turned night, Clarisse and I could get some sleep and Percy you could try a stealth operation." Annabeth then turned to directly face Percy, "more important than getting the fleece you can't be spotted, currently, our big advantage is the surprise. If you get nothing but the layout of the island then you have done well."

Annabeth was surprised that her ploy worked, listening to Clarisse all day Annabeth knew that she would be ok with it. Percy was a bit more difficult she reckoned she hit the perfect mixture between challenging and easy, he would be successful by just going up the mountain, playing to his more lazy acumen. But trying to get the fleece without being noticed, would stop him from getting bored, Annabeth honestly judged he could not do it, but the tactical advantage of knowing the battleground prier would be very valuable.

She smiled to herself as she climbed into one of the non-water soaked hammocks. Just because there where beds, when the ship was constructed, did not mean that the bed was any good, in actual fact it was not very comfortable, Annabeth had learnt that the hard way last night and was not going to make the same mistake.

X

When Annabeth saw the ghostly figure of Percy's water body on a bridge above a ravine, she contained the initial reaction to scream. It was worse than ever instead of just being a blob of off-putting distorted water, he was now a luminescent horror. The moonlight was reflected everywhere by him.

"what is going on?" Annabeth tried to whisper but no sound came out, that was a clue she didn't want. So she then tried to stop and look around but she just kept pace with Percy, that was another clue, this was not looking good. She was in a demigod dream, and not just a vague premonition of future conflict if Percy was on land as a hamster, it was right now or the future, if she could place bet witch it would be the present, but alas you can't in a demi-god dream.

She was proven correct as they got over the bridge, there was a tree across a large paddock, and the fleece was hanging in the top branch of the tree. What was more noticeable was the giant cyclops in the paddock, he had something over a bonfire that lit up the surrounding area, including what looked like equally giant sheep that were probably godly in one way or another.

What most impressed her was Percy the instant they were over the bridge he was no longer luminescent, somehow he had just stopped reflecting moonlight, there was a slight glow to him, but he was no brighter than any of his surroundings. Then he was just still, Annabeth waited for something to happen. Then she waited for anything to happen, it was a little while later she found she could wander around.

Leaving the inactive Percy behind, Annabeth ventured first to the fleece, it was amazing she could feel how it was increasing her vitality just through her demigod dream presents. She basked in it for some time before seeing the water tentacles that tried to interact with the fleece, but would just fail to hold together when they touched the fleece. When they stopped Annabeth went to the only other thing of interest in the paddock, Polyphemus.

As she approached the bonfire, her gut started to turn with a bad feeling, it reminded her of when she was trapped in the house with that Cyclops that had captured, Thalia, Luke and Grover. She did free Thalia before he could eat them all, fucking cyclops. She got right but behind Polyphemus, that the feeling just got worse, it came to head when she stepped to the side and found something that woke her up gaging with genuine dread, the bonfire was Grover, slowly being turned on a spit roast.

Seeing it made Annabeth want to swear on the river stick, to kill that lumbering idiotic cyclops, but she was court up in a haze of panic. She had to save Grover, Percy was obviously not doing anything. She knew she woke up Clarisse, and only got her knife before speeding off the ship and up the mountain. Annabeth knew that it was a rough path on her bear feat, and she was certain she had never gone as fast in her life.

She didn't even stop for a second to catch her breath after the mountain dash, she just enduring the acing muscles as she bounded across the bridge, and persevered for the final sprint across the paddock to the bonfire. Where she would need to save her friend then fight a monster that completely outclassed her, she could just run away with Grover and let Percy deal with it.

Annabeth was so distracted by her inner thoughts, she didn't even notice that Percy was not at the end of the bridge. When she got there, what she did notice was the smell the paddock was full of the odder burnt hair makes, she was running out of time if Grover was on fire.

Polyphemus chewing and with how far the sound carried he must have had an open mouth. Annabeth heard this but she kept moving forward, Polyphemus could be eating anything. This hope sustained her until she saw the headless body of Grover.

That was when the haze of panic changed to a red haze a haze of rage, the raged cursed by a friend being murdered in front of your face. Annabeth charged in with reckless abandon, she slashed and kicked and bashed until the next thing she knew, Polyphemus was sprawled on his back, dazed and groaning, and she was standing above him, the tip of her knife pressed to his eye.

There was a moment where she saw what was true fear, or potentially remorse in Polyphemus eye, that was removed when his life was removed. Annabeth quickly stabbing down so far that her hand was a little covered with eye goo. But as all monsters do when they get a fatal wound, the gigantic Cyclops turned to dust.

As the haze cleared it opened Annabeth to the reality she didn't want to consider, Grover was dead. She curled into a ball next to the fire and grieved for her friend.

X

Percy bit into the gold wool, he gave a tug to make sure that his teeth were secured to it, then he heaved. His back arching with strain, his neck retracting, the wool stretched but didn't budge from the branch it was caught on. Percy tried to put more force but his front paw slipped, and everything else did as well. The wool rotated on the bit of the branch it was caught on, leaving Percy dangling from the tree by his teeth. He summoned a water body around himself, careful to not let any of the water touch the wool, it was worse than Ares's shield. Percy used the body to repositioned himself on the tree for what at least had to be the seventh attempt.

Percy bit into the gold wool, he gave a tug to make sure that his teeth were secured to it, then he heaved. His back arching with strain, his neck retracting, the wool stretched but didn't budge from the branch it was caught on. Percy tried to put more force but his front paw slipped, and everything else did as well. The wool rotated on the bit of the branch it was caught on, leaving Percy dangling from the tree by his teeth.

This went on and on, Percy trying to get enough force to move the wool but not to so he would not slip. It was probably around the twentieth failure when Clarisse showed up, "what are you doing?" the question was asked with irritation.

Percy formed some speaking orbs, and answered, "trying to get the wool. I thought you were meant to be asleep but Annabeth just killed the big cyclops."

Clarisse answered Percy's statement with a statement of her own, "Annabeth woke me up, and by the time I got here, she was in a fetal position by the fire crying."

Percy heedless of the fact he was still dangling, "so we know, she woke you up, she took on a monster that I wouldn't be able to take on. And then she cried, and is continuing to cry now." They both shared a shrug at the odd behaviour.

Percy summoned a water body around himself, careful to not let any of the water touch the wool, he used the body to repositioned himself on the tree but rather than do another attempt. He used the speaking orbs to ask, Clarisse who was watching in mild fascination, "help me get it down."

She looked at him like he was crazy, so to make it a touch more clear Percy created a water staircase up to the wool, "can this actually hold me?" she tapped it with her foot experimentally, Percy put a smidgen of extra effort into keeping the steps solid.

Percy made a smug, 'huun' sound that was incredibly difficult to do with water when Clarisse finally started to ascend the steps. Between Percy's stairs and Clarisse ability to use her arm and hand the fleece was an easy retrieve.

"Percy gets down here, I want to see if the fleece will heal the spell on you." Percy wondered if Clarrie thought that was not the first thing he tried when he was on the tree, but he yawned before he could argue, it had been a tiring night using his powers so much. So he just when to the ground with nobody, she would have to bend over to put the wool on him, it was a very unsatisfying form of payback.

The wool settled on Percy, as it took up all of his vision he felt different. Awake and rearing to go rather than the lackadaisical tiredness he was feeling, no transformation though but Percy felt so good he didn't mind. "So we back to the ship you get Annabeth and I will bring the wool." Percy felt a little hyper as he made a command that was rushed together, and vibrated at a hundred miles a minute.

Percy started on his plan, ignoring Clarisse's, "Hold up there." Until the wool was pulled off him, and the reinvigorating energy left as fast as it arrived, and with it a subtler and more sinister change. Percy only now noticed the small amount of satisfaction he got from the petty revenge of forcing Clarisse from bending down to retrieve the wool, he had not got any satisfaction from the knowledge from her bending down to put it on. The wool had stopped it, Percy did not like he that he didn't know what physiological manipulation was going on, he would have to keep some distance from the wool.

The duo made their way to the third member of their group in silence, Percy stifling another yawn as he wondered what if anything he should do about Clarrie's holding the wool. Percy took so long that by the time he had decided that it would all work out by its self, they were at the bonfire with Annabeth shaking and crying on the ground.

Clarisse showing a high amount of sympathy, tucked the wool around Annabeth and tried to help her. Percy just laid, in the grass and slept for the few hours they had till dawn.

X

Clarisse slit the throat of the last sheep a, wheezing 'Bleat' was the last noise it made, probably trying to warn its brethren. Clarris moves to the ravine, and sits leaning on one of the bridges anchor poles, she watched as the pink haze in the sky moved to reveal the sun. She knew she could feel that the sheep were killer sheep or some such mystical bullshit. And there was no way she was going to fight them if she had a choice about it. Definitively not with a nonexistent Percy and a distort Annabeth. Clarisse could be honest with herself about this and figured, it was a bit of blowing off some anger over Grover's death, this was her quest she should have been able to save him.

As a demigod, Clarisse had gotten desensitised to the actual loss of life, but she had also avoided losing any family and close friend. Clarisse wouldn't personally count Grover as a close-friend so killing the sheep she gotten stronger emotions out of her system. But she knew Annabeth considered Grover to be a close-friend if not family. She was distraught over it a ball of despair just lying there unresponsive. She was just a liability in a fight, then there was Percy no longer hamster form, judging from his reaction a few hours ago he was not prepared to turn back to a human.

Percy left to the ship to get some clothes and had not returned, the feeling of not quite right sheep, the lack of a Percy and a distort Annabeth, is what galvanized her to start the killing she soon found adequate justification. The island was dying without the fleece, giving the sheep quick and painless deaths was much more humane than letting them starve to death.

Clarisse relaxed as she watched the sun come over the horizon, it is odd to think that there is an immortal being that is responsible for something that is described as a certainty. 'the sun will rise in the morning'.

A short while later there where some soft footfalls coming from behind her, 'hi Annabeth.' Clarisse greeted without turning around, she turned to see the expected site of a red and tier stained face there were twigs and leaves all through her hair. Just a ruffled appearance from head to toe. 'How are you doing, ready to go?' it came out a little more brusk than Clarisse intended.

Annabeth did not appear affected by the abruptness, simply answering with a nod. The trip back to the ship was just one long awkward silence, they got there to thankfully find a fully clothed Percy pottering around the ship.

Trying to get away from the awkwardness on the way down Clarisse decided to strike up a conversation with Percy 'where did you get clothes? I know that there are some on the ship but there are not any that where clean, they were all old and dirty. The sort you would expect to find on a three-hundred-year-old pirate ship.'

'My bag, there is some spare clothes.' percy answered boredly. The was the sound of the sea and the exertions of Clarisse helping Annabeth on bored, "so where are the fleeces?"

"Well, um you see…" Clarisse answer trailed of the same as her going back inland.

X

Annabeth did her best death glare at him, she knew it was Percy's fault, yer it was Polyphemus that killed Grover but if Percy was not such a time wasting shit head then she would have had time to save Grover. Percy didn't react to her death glare if he had not wasted time leaving Circe's island if he had kept Clarisse's ship together. He didn't even care about his own brother's disappearance from Circe's island, Tyson was a cyclops but still, if he didn't care about what happened to Tyson why would he care about Grover life.

"What's up?" Percy asked

Annabeth just keeps death glaring the reason she was unable to save Grover.

"You have been staring at me for a little while, it is creepy. If you don't need anything I will go back.'

Annabeth ignored the implied question, the only thing that could help her was if Percy would suffer the way she was suffering now. Teach him some compassion.

He turned his back, Annabeth was considering the logistics of an attack, he had shown something of a mystical sixth sense. It would be best to start an attack from range, this attack would disable him from concentrating on attacking her with water as she came in for a melee fight. This fancy helped Annabeth stay where she was until Clarisse got back with a blanket that was covering her when she woke up.

"So are we ready to go?" Percy asked a with what was obviously growing impatient.

When Clarisse answered, "no" in a clear ploy to get an arise out of him. Annabeth was excited at what as sure to be some comeuppance to Percy, it, unfortunately, didn't happen. He looked at Clarisse with some exhaustion, then the ship set sail the sounds of the sea filling the empty silence.

Annabeth spent the time imagining how Clarisse would have torn apart an angry Percy, it would have proved to be entertaining antics.

X

Tyson was having a good time with the fish horse he had named Rainbow, they had swum around the entire sea of monsters. There were all sorts of monsters that he had seen on the shores as Rainbow swam past.

They finally got an island where Rainbow pulled ashore, this island was not looking too good and gave Tyson an uncomfortable feeling there were no monsters on the beach so that is where Tyson stayed, the sun moved across the sky as Tyson fiddling with a few odds and ends he had picked up while on Clarisse ship trying to get them to fit in to his shield watch. Making mystical things was hard and Tyson wished that he had the old tools Beckendorf had given him as an honorary part of cabin nine. But he had lost his bag when the island sunk, the island that everybody had disappeared on.

As night fell Tyson began to grow concerned, what was going on, there was a rainbow. But without any way to deal with these worries Tyson felt as though he was back on the streets. Making a sleeping area with piles of sand the leaves he found on the beach, Tyson settled in of what was going to be an uncomfortable sleep.

The next day started well, it didn't rain so Tyson didn't have the worst sleep of his life this positivity continued with the return of Rainbow with his bag, the fish horse must have left to go get it such a good fish horse.

Tyson shared some of the food that was not soggy with rainbow, he got the sandwiches that were in watertight bags, and while looking for his tools found a bag of the gold coins, having the coins, and the fish horse named rainbow reminded him of the way to talk to people with rainbows.

Tyson flipped the coin into the rainbow that was coming off the splashes rainbow was making as it ate the crackers that Tyson had given it. after the first step Tyson flubbed the summoning, "iris goddess can you call Percy Jackson in the sea of monsters". Luckily for Tyson iris was the forgiving sort and let the message through, you don't build good customer rapport by being a stick in the mud.

The view changed from Rainbow splashing around to Percy sitting in a fold out camp chair in front of an old-timey ship's steering wheel. "Hi, Brother." Tyson took Percy's surprised face as a face of surprised joy.

"Hi Tyson what's up, you going missing gave us quite the scare." Percy gave Tyson a smile. Tyson recounted his adventure with a rainbow to Percy. "So now I'm on this island, do you think you could pick me up."

"Of course buddy, but I don't know where you are. I haven't seen any island's with snake lady monsters on the sand bit's or the tree people either." there were a few moments where they considered this. " I have an idea are there any flares in your pack?" Tyson began to search and discovered water logged flares that would not work but more difficult Rainbow had stopped splashing, the fish horse had disappeared again.

Tyson finished off the rest of the dry food as he made a plan, it was simple. One, create a water sprayer that would create a mist for a rainbow. Two, continue the conversation with Percy. He got to it, making a water mister was easier than he predicted having the tools was an enormous help. The first try at the mister was a failure, the chamber to hold the water had a hole in it so the water just leaked out.

While repairing the hole rainbow showed up with the ship he had seen Percy on, the fish horse must have gone to go get them. Tyson ran to the ship he scrambled to the top deck to find his brother and gave him a hug.

Percy didn't sound too good with a "Hey Tyson." it came out a breathy and wheezy.

Putting his brother down Tyson looked into his eyes, "Are you ok, you don't sound too good."

"Tyson I'm fine, no one sounds good when they can't breathe." Tyson continued to stare long past the point of acceptability, into the territory of awkward, then further to uncomfortable. Percy not actually made uncomfortable found this to be rather entertaining and, in the second minute he could no longer hold in his laughter.

x

Percy was having a good adventure, he got a magical item and had the experience of turning in a guinea pig. It was odd that the enchanted necklace helping him hide his sent got changed with him, something to look at in future. And everyone was safe Annabeth would probably disagree on the account of Grover but Percy didn't count him. Grover was on a voluntary quest to find the pan and he was just another casualty of the 100% mortality rate of Satyr who had gone on that quest, a different one form finding the wool.

According to his nautical scenes, they were going to make land on the Florida coast by early evening, they had made a plan to send Clarisse off with a bag of cash the herms had put in Tyson's go bag. percy had already removed the one form Annabeth. There are times when mist made cash just doesn't work, but those are few and far between but no doubt that real cash would be usefully in one of those situations happen.

Percy had asked Clarisse to come over when he learnt that she had not already planned what she was going to ask for. Clarisse made her way over and, Percy jumped straight into why he had called her over. "Clarisse you need to figure out what you are going to ask for."

"What?" was the ever so eloquent reply

"When you show the Wool to whoever you show it to you need to know what you are planning on asking for. A weapon, a magic weapon, a shield, a magic shield. how are these things magic? these are all things you need to figure out while remembering that if you ask for too much they will most likely give you nothing,"

the girl walked away in contemplation over valuable information not even giving thanks to the person who supplied the information, one might wonder how Percy gained such wisdom about negotiation with gods. that wisdom is mainly derived from second-hand accounts in mythology, and legitimised by the two times he had actually negotiated with gods.

x

Luke was confused, slightly scared and growing angry, why didn't Percy Annabeth and they cyclops not have the fleece. What would Cronus do to luke if he could not get the lord of time the fleece and how could he possibly be responsible for Grover's death, he could hear Annabeth's mutters?

Personally luke didn't like his options, they had boarded that ship that came out of the sea of monsters when it made land. Annabeth put up a fight and had killed a few fell hounds before she was subdued. The brothers took care of the Cyclops, the big guy was out cold. luke was tempted to just kill it and get the treat out of the way.

But there was Percy luke when to get the son of the sea himself but was met with no resistance, Percy had not even taken out his sword, the kid just had a mischievous grin one of the ones that were all over cabin twelve just before a big prank. The worst bit was that Luke could not tell if it was an act or not, did Percy actually have something up his sleeve or was it just to make luke unsure, either way, it was keeping the cyclops alive.

Luke could not keep this Mexican standoff happening all day long, so he proposed a challenge to Annabeth with the way she was looking at him and the occasional "Grover murder" mutter under her breath. There was no way she would turn down, a 1v1 challenge maybe he could even get her to explain what she meant, how would she know if Grover was dead if the satyr and gone off to find Pan.

"I challenge you if I win then you tell me where the fleece is hidden if you win I let you go." The challenge was accompanied by luke drawing his sword and pointing it at Annabeth. In combat that is an awful move to make but it has a good spectacle and combat had not started yet. annabeth still took the opportunity to attack, diving forward with her dagger. It was a fast paced match Annabeth was relentless from the start luke was on the back foot from the get-go, the longer reach of the sword was a hindrance defending against a dagger, and he never even had a chance to get a shield. The only thing that kept him alive was his superb footwork and excellent swordsmanship.

Like anything Annabeth eventually slipped up she started to talk being as she was in the clear lead. "when you got to Polyphemus island Grover was dead by a few hours. The fucking cyclops had killed him." This shocked luke for a sec, Grover the one that took him Thalia and Annabeth to camp was dead. "If you had not stopped us I could have arrived in time to save him." Annabeth then actually stabbed him just under the right clavicle disabling his sword arm, however, this made her weaponless.

Luke was successfully able to push through the agonizing pain and use his sword to pin Annabeth, even though he was using his off arm. "Now, surrender and tell me where the fleece is." luke asked through gritted teeth trying to ignore the pain from a danger to the stab wound.

"Never, you murdered Grover." Annabeth tries to spit on him, but from under sword point, it didn't work too well.

Luke turned to Percy and pretended, "I will kill her if you don't tell me."

"Usually I would take you up on that offer, she thinks that I'm also responsible for Grover death. but I want to know what type of poison you used on the tree, then I will tell you where the wool is." Percy still had that cocky grin.

"Fleece, it is a fleece, not wool. I used poison from a scorpion of Tartarus." the pain from the stab was getting worse, luke was having trouble focusing.

"I wonder if when Clarisse gets to camp with the wool if it can heal the tree?" then there was the while of an arrow and everything went quiet until there was a thud as the arrow hit its mark, the brother monster that was subduing Tysons left arm.

Then there was an arrow that hit the dagger in Luke's shoulder, there was searing pain for a split second, then everything went black.

x

It was complete and utter horse shit, why the fuck could centaurs move thousands of miles a second. percy just knew that Chiron would not explain it to him, and it would be a minor miracle if he could sober one of the other centaurs up enough to get an explanation out of it. Complete and utter horse shit.

Annabeth had tried to re-invigorate the camps distrust with Percy, it had died down with the lack of Percy being at camp to do things that are distrustful. She had ended up blaming him for Grover's death, this made it a no-win scenario, Clarisse came back with the wool, no one would have noticed his, Tyson and Annabeth return if it was not also the return of Chiron.

Other than that everything had been going well, the loss of Tantalus was an unforeseen consequence of using Tyson mist maker, to have an iris message to the council of the gods chamber and another one with Mr.D. who could have predicted that clearings Chiron's name, so he would come and fight luke, would make him camp director again.

With that source of puny entertainment back in the fields of punishment, the camp became less puny Mr D was also a bit less willing to hang out after Percy told him about how Luke had a sarcophagus with Cronus in it. The wine god didn't seem to like his grandfather's name beings uttered.

X

On the fifth day back at camp, Percy was growing a disdain for the gold wool he had spent his days back at the camp 'guarding' the wool. Percy had learnt that it reduces the negativity or increases the positivity with the way a person who is in contact with the wool perceives the world. It doesn't affect people that are not in contact with it, then the change to the person's optimism vs pessimism scale is variable. Percy was still trying to determine the variables, and Tyson was to busy doing his crafting thing to be an observable test subject, Percy didn't want to ask anyone else he, could not trust them to not whistleblow that he was not actually guarding the wool after Annabeth's shenanigans. The lack of observable test subject meant that he was trying to measure his own mental changes, while they were occurring. That is not a recipe for success.

Every day has continually failed to get the variable's Percy spent his nights considered going to Europe, and researching the logistics of it. There were a lot of mysteries hinted at in the subtext of his more serious conversations with Mr.D and it seemed that Europe was the place with the answers. A week-long boat ride didn't sound appealing compared to a 7-hour flight, Percy had considered using his abilities to fly over there but was a long way without landmarks, Way too easy to get lost, for Percy's peace of mind. There was also Chiron to contend with, last time he was unable to do anything about Percy going off to the Lotus hotel, but as Greece was a restricted area Chiron could try and force him to return by telling the gods that he was going to Greece.

Going to Europe now was risky, he could just wait till the end of camp when Chiron doesn't care, and he could just take the boat ride, 9 mounts to figure out the secrets of Europe, what's a week on a board a ship.

x

They had about a week back and from the quest, it was that night when Percy learnt about how there was a chariot race, he had missed the event. He was 'guarding' the wool, some would say that he may have become a little obsessed with trying to measure the level of mental trickery at play, some would be wrong. Then he learnt of cabin 2's victory all one after another, Tyson told Percy how he had teamed up with cabin five, he had rebuilt the chariot from the last game and cabin five road it to victory. Clarisse had smashed the competition with the magic shield that she got from the quest, it was electric to match her spear.

"Sound like you had fun bro." Tyson gave Percy a big smile, they were in one of the bunk beds so Tyson had to lean over the top bunk too.

Still with a big smile on his face Tyson informed Percy, "Tomorrow I'm going to the forges in Atlantis." Percy guested that was good news from the way Tyson said it. It would definitely be a place to visit.

X

It was the next morning and time for Tyson to leave, he had got a job in forges of Poseidon's domain. As Tyson as leaving he gave Percy a watch that he had created, "Here brother I want you to have this."

"Thanks." Percy thanked as he put the watch on, he was not usually one for things on his skin, there was is water layer, his second skin between himself and the clothing he was wearing. The watch was surprisingly comfortable considering it didn't leave room for his second skin and there was mystical power coming off it that suggested it was a magic item that made it a timekeeping device as well as a space warping shield.

Later that day Tyson leaving had made Percy any he had no progress deciphering the variables affecting the wool there was nothing in the natural environment he had noticed even correlated with the effect of the wool, and actually measuring your own demeanour is a fool game. These two factors forced Percy to re-evaluate if he could be bothered to get the answered he wanted about the wool, or if the risks with a trip to Europe were worthwhile.

Again Percy came to the same conclusion the risks were too much, just because his half-brother was making progress in the world doesn't change the conditions of his situation.

X

This worked out for the best a few days later, he had been trying to test the mental effects of the wool with animals, it is difficult to tell the mentality of animals. Given blackjack was a good help, the pegasus decided it owed Percy a life debt. The pegasus had help Percy find out nothing about how the wool works but was entertaining while they tried.

Percy had decided to take today off and just guard, he needed to get his head on straight. Last night Percy had stayed up late and manipulating the size, shape and density of his mystical aura, have a magical neckless specifically designed to aid with that was of immeasurable help. It was this morning that he agreed to be on Clarisse team to capture the flag, at least he had refused to use his water manipulation and only left him with his mediocre sword skills. So Percy just spent the day relaxing, he got out his folding camping chair from the enchanted bag and a plate with a glass from the dining pavilion for food and drink. Usually, he would only get a glass having breakfast and dinner but only drink during the day, but today was a relaxing day so he got both.

It was just as the sun was setting when a girl coalesced into existence, she had her legs crossed and hands on her chest she looked like she was dead or sleeping and a shake of her shoulders would be the difference between tragedy and jubilation. The girl had short black hair and freckles across her nose. She was built like a long-distance runner, lithe and strong, and she wore clothes were black, a black T-shirt, black tattered jeans, and a dark leather jacket.

Then it was sometime later when Percy finished, used all of the mystical sensing abilities in his repertoire to see if this was some sort of monster attack, there was or is probably some monster that could teleport and disguise it's left self as a person. He determined to the best of his knowledge this girl was genuine and was taking in enough mystical energy to go blow for blow in a fight with him.

Percy leaned down to shake her shoulder, it was reacted to with open eyes. So at least tragedy was avoided, now to find out if the electric blue eyes mean jubilation. With the best grin he had Percy it trodded himself, "Hi I'm Percy, appearing outside a magic camp probably has an epic story of woe and misadventure, I would love to hear it."

X

Thalia had gained consciousness some time ago, while on the streets before luke or Annabeth when in an unfamiliar place she had learnt how to fake unconsciousness. What she could determine was she was on a grassy slope, there were crickets and the smell of food, that was it. Next was trying to remember what happened last, there was a battle Grover Annabeth and Luke got to safety. Then she felt a light grip on her shoulder it was a gentle shake the jig was up, she opened her eyes looking like an upside-down grin, "Hi I'm Percy, appearing outside a magic camp probably has an epic story of woe and misadventure, I would love to hear it." Magic camp, epic story, woe and misadventure. Thalia stood up remembering everything was this kid joking with her, she was just in a battle, the joker stayed sitting obviously not bothered by having to look up.

A plate was extended to her, "would you like some food?", this kid was obviously messing with her the plate was empty. The grin lost its sharpness, the kid took an audible breath "Look, it's magic you just wish food on the plate and it appears, just like you did. Burger," a burger appeared on the plate, and thalia's stomach rumbled, it had been some time since her last proper meal. Then he catapulted the burger over his shoulder with a quick arm movement, he was a solitary moment of horror then the kid continued, "Margherita pizza." that went over his shoulder too.

This time the plate was offered Thalia took it and got a grilled cheese, after eating it she had another. "Would you like a drink." he offered a cup with the same ability she just had water. Thalia handed back the plate and cup, Percy to them back while standing up and walking to a bag that was leaning on the tree behind her. As he put the cup and plate down next to the bag he gestures to the chair he had vacated, she took the seat it was really comfortable for a camping chair. Percy stated digging around one hand in the bag, "Now your feed and watered can I please get your story I'm starting to think you're mute." he did some shapes with his free hand.

"You know sign-language?" thalia's voice was hoarse with underuse how long had she been out since the battle, how had she survived. "Ha," Percy removed another camping chair that could not be able to fit in the bag, probably magic. He set it up and took the set, "No I don't, I just figured if you were mute you would get mad at the butchery of faking and at least try and communicate." Thalia could not help a smile at the ridiculous plan.

"Well I'm Thalia Grace and to answer your original question, I do have an epic story but I don't think I'm up to telling it right now." Percy's looked shocked at thalia's name, with a much more hesitation, "The Thalia Grace that sacrificed herself so Luke Castellan, Grover Underwood and Annabeth Chase could get to safety?" Thalia nodded, that was correct it was the last thing she remembered, "and then for her sacrifice, Zeus turned her into a tree!" It was Thalia's turn to be shocked, 'she was a tree' she knew it was true even if it didn't make sense.

"So you where a tree, we put the golden fleece on the tree, it's healing properties heal the tree and then healed you into existence?" Percy was looking uneasy over the explanation.

"It sounds mad, but it makes sense in a greek mythology sort of way. So how long have I been a tree?" Thalia was getting bored of this conversation they should do something, dam ADHD.

"Six or Seven years, I never really got dates." Thalia didn't want to think about that.

"So what is there to do around here, Grover always talked about how fun this place was. Where is the gang?" Thalia jumped out of the seat, as Percy took a ponderous second.

"I don't know where they are you will need to go to the big house and talk to the half horseman, as for things to do that depends on your interests, you should really go to the big house tree girl." He stood us standing next to her and pointed to the only building that looked like a house.

"I will be here, make sure to come and visit." They shared a smile and Thalia made her way to the big house only six or seven late.

x

Talking to the 'half horseman 'like Percy called him or Chiron as everyone else does. Revealed some unsavoury events that had happened in her absence, Luke's turning, Grover's death.

What might have been the worst was how Annabeth had changed, Thalia still remembered a cute nine-year-old, Annabeth was not a cute nine-year-old she was an angsty teen that had got outcast for misconstruing Grover's death.

What happened to her friends was horrible, but not a constant grin of her patients the hero worship was quite literally the death of her patients by a thousand comments. "You such an inspiration.", "I don't think I could have done what you did.", it went on and on and on. She was used for the example of the perfect modern-day demigod. Never having had the time to fuck up and sacrificing your life for your friends can't get much better than that.

The only good part of her days where when she spent time with Percy, they would just sit talk and have a good time, he was over the top enough to be entertaining but not enough to be annoying. And actively tried to not have expectations, so people would more likely feel like they should not have expectations of him in return, it was great to just hang out away from the rest of the camp.

They had begun to eat at the Zuse table, being kids of the big three stopped most arguments from Chiron, and Percy being able to entertain Mr.D by doing it stopped the rest.

X

Thalia had been awake about a month, but now had made a plan, they were going to get the dragon for the wool, no fleece it is the golden fleece. It was going to arrive today and Thalia was a bit concerned that Percy was going to leave if he was not tied down with guarding the fleece, apparently he left part way through summer last year, if he did it again she then would be starved for company. The campers were mostly over there hero worship and nice to her, but other than Percy she had not made any friends and is going to electrocute the next one that tells her about how virtues she is.

This plan will hope to kill both birds, yesterday morning she had challenged the winners of last week making her the head of the opposing team, then last night she had kept Percy up late last night so he would be tired this breakfast, a tired Percy would agree to be on her team for Capture The Flag even if the next game is five days away, what a thrill taking control over a person in such a way. The next bit is to have their two-person team defeat the rest of the camp she had seen Percy fight but she also knew what he had done on the most recent quest he had a lot more potential then what he sues in capture the flag, losing too two people should remove the rest of the hero worship from the camp.

Percy plopped himself on the table next to Thalia, "Percy you on my capture the flag team." Thalia used her most commanding voice, over the last month she discovered half wake Percy will do almost anything he is told to. He will do it badly if you don't correct him as he does it, ", ok" the answer was punctuated with a yawn in the way of sleepy people around the world.

X

Percy was surprised with how ok he was with this, she had created an elaborate plan to make sure the way going to do what he had planned on doing. He thought the needlessness of it would draw a negative emotional reaction but the elaborate plan was more sympathetic than anything, having a real friend with another demigod is nice. Being friend with gods and Lotus eats is good but there is a fundamental difference in perspective while dealing with the thing that lives for millennia and centuries.

Percy shot another jet of water at Thalia this one had no force but socked her, "I was actually planning on staying here for the rest of summer so that there is a better chance of getting to Europe that way."

Thalia faked a shot of lighting Percy feel for it stepping right into the path of her spear, the tip grazing his hand and knocking the sword away, "you're planning on going to Europe without me?" She gave Percy a challenging look thinking she finally got the upper hand in the sparring match. Percy gave a genuine grin, "Oh the despair. You're a bit better, but you still need to work on your situational awareness."

After the first time Percy used blood control to win and the pass out, it was a banned ability. But on the condition, Thalia can't mess with his nervous system when she figures out how to control small amounts of electricity over a long distance. Of course, the water that has soaked through clothes works just as well at incapacitating her. Walking over to retrieve pen sword, "I figured if you wanted to come you would invite yourself along."

X

Percy was surprised how enjoyable capture the flag was when you care about the outcome and your winning. He had just solidified a dome of water around the flag and himself nothing could get in. Percy was doing some great multitasking he, knocked out the challenges that got close to the dome with his floating ball of solidified water, he would reckon he had knocked out about thirty, thirty-five so far defence was going great, he had got Clarisse in the initial attacking party and now most of the better fighters. Someone had got to the dome it was an Ares kid with a magic armour that resisted the force of the solidified water ball but there was nothing stopping his knockout by asphyxiation. The defence was simple enough that he could also help Thalia.

X

Thalia was fighting what felt like a never ending the stream of campers, stab, block, slash, 43 rolls, reverse parry 'knock them out with the end of the spear that's headless,' 44 and repeat 45, repeat 46 47, repeat 48. Luckily they were not the skilful fighters, Demeter, Apollo and Aphrodite kids, it seemed their plan was to overwhelm with numbers but, Percy was doing his part perfectly the water barriers above, to the sides and behind meant that every fight was a 1v1. The barriers were also blocking arrow fire, the Apollo kids had come down from the trees and joined the 1v1 fights.

64, Thalia final got a break from the torrent of advisors, she took some deep breaths, regained her bearings, judging by which way a majority of attackers came from the flag was probably over the hill, she began a slow and methodical trek up the hill who knows what sort of traps cabin nine had in store. Nothing was in store it meant cabin nine was so confident that they didn't even bother to lay tarps out.

Thalia reached the flag and there was the one challenge she was not prepared to face Annabeth, Thalia didn't know if she could do this fight, Annabeth was the only other person she was connected to at camp, they had travelled across the contrary running for their lives, it makes strong bonds. She would have asked Annabeth to on her team if she thought that the girl could hold herself back from attacking Percy.

Annabeth probably figured that all out and that why is the only one here guarding the flag, Thalia finally stopped about ten paces away, "well fuck I guess that you're not going to surrender."

X

Percy was pleasantly surprised, and it is not like he was not going to object. But to kiss while surrounded by the knocked out victims of team Treewater, was a bit distasteful. This, in theory, was meant to simulate a battle for life and death so it could be argued that they were surrounded by the dead. Then again it's not like Thalia would care with the high of victory she has at the moment.

X

Chiron re-examined his notes from his investigating, he was having trouble believing how this worked out. He had been alive a few thousand years having a very powerful kid of the big three was not uncommon, it saw a rarity to have a kid would be less powerful. Then being as they are demigods being a benchmark for good mental activity is not part of the job description, being abandoned by a parent at birth usually causes problems. So having multiple powerful demigods is not out of the ordinary, it is actually the more the better because having lots of them keeps them in line fear of the others, 'If I can what could my siblings do if they gang up on me.'

When the pack to not have kids was made it was a surprisingly easy change from camp with kids of the big three to a camp with no kids of the big three. But when you get two not quite right kids of the big three and no one to keep them in check apparently you have them take on the whole camp and win, this was the start of the investigating.

Chiron found himself appreciating Percy just a little bit for the kid downplaying his abilities in the past games, but this made it all that much worse. The two were not just out of line as individuals, they were out of line as a pair, feeding into each other's less desirable tendencies, Percy would continually encourage Thalia to do whatever she wanted without regard for anything else. And unless Thalia wants different he spends all his experiencing the world through mystical powers letting his physical for being dragged around by Thalia to whatever she wanted to do and she barely forcing him to experience the world around him.

A.N.

Congrats to first who explains why it took a week and a half of Thalia to appear, not 3 days (Canon).


	5. Book 3 Part 1

A.N.

Fuck it been a while

So I have the country's in this order I think (England Germany Scandinavia Poland Russia Bulgaria Greece Italy Portugal Egypt ) Correct me if this does not make any scene.

Plez don't be insulted by the France accent, I cound't help my self.

The hot sun beat down on the back of her neck, it was the winner. What sort of shitty place had she led them to if they could get a sunburn during winter? Being as Egypt was one of the places Percy had on his list of places he wanted to visit when she was deciding where to go in Europe, it was his fault they where here but she should have looked up the weather. There is no real risk to using the internet and cell phones when you have a boyfriend that can block your scent, Percy's explanation of how technology magnifies the scent of a demigod was a bit over her head. But there was a useful conclusion if technology had no scent to magnify then it was safe to use. Even though Percy was not here she was still going to take this call from Annabeth, the girl must be using a pay phone, the air shimmered Annabeth into existence, it was an iris message.

Thalia saw the usefulness of the mystical skills that Percy has, she had even learnt to Manipulate the Mist to a moderate extent, but the rest of it, the sensing the world and perceiving the mystical and blocking others from doing it to you. She had Percy to do that for her, she didn't need to be able to use the Mist to control a crowd of people. She didn't need to know that a monster was 2 and a half blocks North West, if she came across it she would just kill it. And why would you want to avoid a fight with some monsters, by blocking your sent? It is helpful when you don't what your technological device destroyed by monster attacks but, the rest of the time monster fights where good and she was great at killing them. It might be a bit boastful to she was going to actually kill all those monsters on that hill so long ago only, it was only six months to her and the six months where her fighting improved the more than all of the years on the run combined, that's what happens when there is a safe place to train that is tailored made to maximal increases ability. Or it could just be very impressive if she were put into the same circumstances with her increased ability and obliterate the enemy, the difference between being boastful and very impressive is ability.

The only one of Percy's mystical ability's that's usefulness could be envied was his water control, the one he could not actually teach her. Other than the lack of Poseidon parentage she didn't have years to learn either, it's versatility combined with its lethality, could have made it worthwhile. Most of the lethality could be recreated with her power over lighting which Percy theorised was control over any electrical current. It was the morning of their second day in Germany they spent the first seeing Berlin, now Percy was going to go looking for Kobolds or other Germanic Mythology/folklore.

"So what should I do when you're off chasing answers to questions on one cares about," Thalia asked in a long-suffering way, she asked this the first time they split-up in London, she didn't really want to find the seat of the Olympians from during the industrial revolution, and this was really before she had developed the confidence to traverse a city of mortals alone. Her major concern is how could she protect the mortals and kill monsters when they showed up, as it turns out Mortals are excellent at running from danger. Even though she is confident enough to traverse anywhere alone she still asks the same question it developing a quasi-ritualistic feel.

"Germany I would suggest Hamburg, it's close-ish, or you could try and test my theory about how your powers work there was a power station only a bit away use the mist to clear out the staff safely the see if you can channel normal electricity like you channel lightning, Lov?" Thalia was a bit disappointed with those suggestions, Munich what did he just look at a map and find a large city name, maybe it was to as repeatable as she thought and she was not too sure of 'Lov' it seemed oddly English. She would find something good to do today and that would leave her to test out her powers tomorrow, Percy has become oddly insistent that she check his theory ever since they got to Europe, he was fine back in the USA but his obsession with understanding his powers was exacerbated when they arrived in England a week there looking at Mount Olympus from the industrial revolution had not calmed him so it would be better to get it over with.

Thalia spent that day relaxing, she ended up messaging Annabeth she had convinced the girl to try and see her family, her friend had a lot to complain about but the fact she was still there spook true to the situation. There where a few other camp friends she messaged, the stoles where good, some of the nymph where up to more trouble than usual and speaking to Chiron was nice, she could not understand Percy's attitude of the old guy. They had not actuality talked about it, Percy just has a general distant to the centaur that is not the same with anyone else, everyone else gets a general dismissal because he doesn't care, that does make all the warm and fuzziness between them all the more special to Thalia. But Chiron is different, the attitude is hard dismissive and so it is not born from ambulanceman, and until she gets around to having a conversation about it the reason will be a mystery.

Returning the second night in Germany Percy explained, "Sorry I took a bit of extra time, the journey travelled was a bit further then predicted, but I found a Pair of Kobold's there was nothing else, the Kobold's where real and just like Dionysus described." he gestured to his bight blue hair, it was fairly funny. "But I can't figure out what mystical energy or powers they used to make this happen." That is what became hilarious during two days he spent trying to mystical dispel it before he realised that it was hair dye.

Those two days were a lot more productive for Thalia, she determined exactly how lethal her electrical currents where answer highly lethal. She took over the nearby German solar power plant's she started largely and used what was a few Hundred Thousand Volts it was a bit of overkill of the hell-hound became a crispily fried corps instantaneously, the corps didn't even need to turn to dust is was already ash. It was just too laborious to channel Hundreds of Thousand Volts, so the next monster she faced was dead from a few thousand volts but this hell-hound didn't turn to ash but it was cooked. It took half a dozen before, Thalia discovered that it only took about 100 volts to make an instant kill, any less and the death was not instantaneous. It was while trying doing something that Percy would appreciate, everything when wrong, She was attempting to testing how long monsters could last with smaller amounts of electrical currents. She was unable to actually catch Any monster for testing, not a happy not a hell-hound or even the Empousai that came along on the second day, and fire damage is a problem like a city-wide blackout problem. Some might be curious how a nonflammable power plant, so was Thalia. So she asked Percy, spending the next day in the library Percy looking at the human records of Greek Mythology, they came up with a few Theory that all boiled down to mystical fire but without a live Empousai to create the mystical fire they want to test, it was unprovable, they could have substituted with Greek fire but that had a pension for exploding.

After Percy's had his theory proven by Thalia ability to control electricity not generate from the Lighting. He proposed that she might have a second ability, she should have as a Daughter of Zeus, it was purported that children of Zeus could Manipulate air currents, there was also something about the electromagnetic spectrum. Thalia gave it a try to mollify Percy's curiosity, but being honest with herself it was halfhearted at best. Her true interest lay with electricity, it was everywhere and she made some interesting discoveries of her own. Thalia had quickly discovered that she needed to be in contact with the electrical current or in contact with a conductive surface of the electrical current, anytime she tried to manipulate a current from a Distance she had no effect. Another oddity when she took control of a Current it would be drawn in to her then she would have to send it out, this had caused some problems, she was testing it out in the hotel they where staying that she channels the light-bulb, it was connected to a circuit breaker, this was one of the circuit breaker's in the breaker box, Momentarily she had taken all of the electricity for the entire hotel, then it was all sent back out this surge burnt out all of the electrical circuitry for floors 5 through 11. This could be controlled after some practice and with continued effort and focus, she could just manipulate the current without drawing it in. It was a week after Germany Powerplan they where arriving in Scandinavia, specifically Norway countryside to investigate for ancient Nordic ruins she had spent some of the time messing around with Percy's nervous system Now Thalia felt confident, she had been doing a bit of reading, did you know that every part of the human body is controlled by electrical signals, when she learnt those signals she could control anyone with a touch. She spent nights practising making a finger or tow move, then hands and feet she just mastered entire limbs at once. Then during the day experiencing how the nervous system works the brain was massively complicated the rest is simple enough.

After a week and a half now she was ready to make Percy sleepwalk, the fourth morning in Scandinavia, they had arrived in Sweden Stockholm she could still remember all of the details vividly, the day was good they had not found anything interesting ancient Nordic wise as they explored the contrary side, but after a day of museums and library Percy was spouting off crazy consistency about the Nordic gods still being alive like the Greek ones, even though it was crazy Percy was happy. Then that night when Percy was finally asleep Thalia carefully snuck out of her side of the bed, she avoided the bedside table and slid over to Percy's side, she didn't want him half way of getting out of bed and losing skin to skin contact. And she reached down to take his hand lightly in hers her heart felt like it was beating a million miles an hour she felt the electricity zipping around his body even in his sleep then it started the first steps were a bit wobbly but as she got the hang of it, Right-left, Right-left. But when Percy woke up and had a minor freak out about his limbs moving against his will it turned in to a control thing. After Thalia explained it all to Percy, his mood filliped he was eager to help investigate, even if he was the test subject they learnt that she could control all parts of the nervousness system and had Stopping Percy's from flailing like a mad man during his freakouts, in other words, she could control every move he could make, it was an addicting though. Thalia thought the way Percy put it was remember-able, ' you having complete control of my body must be getting you all hot and bothered' and the assumption was true she had discovered she was a bit of a control freak in life all parts of it some more than others. Thalia had no idea how long she had been caught up thoughts of all she could get Percy to do, but she had Inspiration and no idea where it came from, just like before Thalia focused on Percy's nervous system and began what she Fingered would make his chicken dance. That didn't happen Percy didn't move, she looked up to see his face with a cocky smile, how did he do that there were no Neural signals from the brain to the mouth. This as a challenge now she pushed a bit harder nothing happened, "come on you can do better, Lov." Percy knew how much she disliked that pet name, Fucking England put stupid phrases in his head. Thalia needed to win now she stopped keeping the electrical current from coming into her this caused more to pop up around her hand, just giving he more to channel, then the redirected currents reached the leg that would need to kick out to start, nothing was happening. Thalia redefined her victory, one kick that is all she needs to prove Percy wrong. Everything she had gone into the leg she could feel the currents coming from the muscle, it was strained beyond belief, the currents went right back in. SNAP. There was the sound of a bone breaking and Percy's leg was broken it was bent oddly at the calf. It really was a night to remember as mercy used the water in his leg to set his own bone.

All of the rest of there time in Scandinavia was marred with Percy having a cast, and the lack of maneuverability he had to fake because of it, Percy was still a great sport about letting his nights be Thalia time for training in the use of her powers, she would hold his hand as he sleepwalked around Stockholm and later Helsinki Finland. This willingness Thalia congratulated herself for, she had picked great with Percy sometimes she gets the feeling that he would trade the whole world of it would get him the answers telling him about how her power work, so they could compare to Percy, was no hassle, but in addition she had located the bit of the brain the causes pain, and now she stops it from doing that while there where together. This had an unexpected effect that she should have predicted Percy gradually became addicted to her ability to stop the pain, and not in her metaphorical addiction to power this was the real deal according to the internet he was irritable whenever she didn't stop the pain.

The question she had what was stopping Percy from catching on if it was anyone less that was doing this to him she was sure he would figure it out within the first few days then find a mystical way to kick the addiction. Was he being prosperously blind if he acknowledged the reality he would have to kick the addiction but while he keeps himself ignorant he has nothing to worry about, she hoped that her assumption was correct and Percy would not just let himself get addicted if it was anyone? So this continued all thought there trip of Europe, Poland, Russia, Bulgaria where interesting places but lacked any mystical mystery then Greece most of what Mr D had suggested where interesting thing that happened back in the old world where unverifiable so Percy didn't have the greatest of times, "there was not even any remnant of any mystical anything, Lov". Thalia, on the other hand, had a great time, the people were chill and it was cool to think her powers came from a god that ruled here two thousand years ago here. Italy was fun for Thalia again, and it was disappointing for Percy there was nothing mystical to do with the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Percy had theorised it had something to do with Theodon, the god of reality and uncertainty, it was closer to hoped, it was not all bad there was some mythic roman metal called imperial gold Percy says that he has special plans for it. Portugal was next and disappointing for Thalia, she wanted to experience one of the Carnavals as it turns out they happen in Brazil at the start of the year, Thalia was not moderately sure way she thought it was Portugal or why she was so confident that she didn't even cheek, but after reading Wikipedia for a minute she concluded that it has to to with Carnaval is Portuguese, thus Portugal was not ideal but she ended up on iris messaging Annabeth "come back home for Thanksgiving I miss you" Thalia fingered form the change of landscape Annabeth ran away again. And there was the last place they didn't visit before Egypt, France missing out on the potential Mysticism was the catacombs, could have been good but Thalia was sort of glad that France was not given the chance to just disappointing Percy.

But could she leave like Annabeth asked, yes they had spent enough time across the pond it's not like the country is going anywhere, and it would be nice to be home for the holidays. But how to tell Percy she could already tell what he was going to say, he would put on his serious voice. 'it's a ploy by the gods to get us under there control.' he would not even use lov because it is a heavy and important subject, but Annabeth is her friend and she was in control, it's just Percy would be a lot less cynical during the trip if something out of the ordinary happened before she broke the new plan of action, theirs always fire trucks after an arson. If that didn't work she could force a bit of melatonin into his system making him sleepy and agreeable.

X

Percy was on to Something this time he could feel it, Poking around the Pyramids had no results but there was a godly present somewhere. He could not confirm anything with his mystical scenes but it was the way the mist felt. The closest analogy he had it like when you change soaps and at first the new soap is just a tiny bit indescribably different it's sort of like that. Percy's main concern is getting Thalia to think that it's really unlike the rest of the places, whenever he would find there was a lack of evidence to support his how theory for whatever country there in that would give Thalia a reason to move on but this time there was a reason to stay even if there was a lack of evidence.

Percy found Thalia chilling quit literally, the girl had taken over the small town that they slept in on the way to the pyramids, Percy had done his exploring thing, while Thalia was had fun with the locals. This time she had got them to fill their communal pool with ice, it looked like a great way to get out of the heat, his girlfriend still caught up in her relaxing didn't reals Percy was sitting with his legs and hands in the pool until he started splashing her with ice water Percy joined a "ha, I got you", to his barrage.

There were a few seconds of shock and confusion none of the mist controlled townspeople would do that, "you." Thalia exclaimed in her most overdramatic way, there was a return barrage. Percy was hit and now 'soaked', "this will not do, you are thwarting the dastardly scheme I have to pull out the big weapons." Percy did the continuous splashing where he repeatably kicking his legs in the water. This was retaliated against by a sneak attack perpetrated by a community member, Percy was continuing on holding his lead over Thalia increasing the viscosity around her, getting more water from each kick on her, one second it was going great she was seaming just taking it, Percy figured she was just devising a strategy but the next second he was pushed in to the water. This was very effective Percy become both orientated and Thalia recover from the kick barrage and prepared a new plan of attack, Percy stayed under the water within his element as he regained his orientation, this allowed him to realise that it was a mortal that pushed him in they really become mindless slave when you put enough mystical energy put in to controlling them. Thalia got bored of waiting for Percy to get above of the water to unleash her surprise so she used the electrical connection she had with him through the conductive water to force him up. Percy could tell that she was up to controlling his nervousness system to put him in position for whatever her devious plan was but he had something he had been working on for a while he made a bubble of air around him to cut off the connection, it as the revere of his second waterskin it was a second air skin, a non conductive air skin. This was not stable, you can't float in air and neither could Percy, correction he could not do it well, as he tried to stabilise himself the countermeasure became irrelevant with a hand on his shoulder his slow rise to the surface was characterised with a fire truck appearing how had she organised all of this while he was gone. As he was sprayed in the face with water at a high enough pressure it to rip a mortal's eyes out 'it sort of tickled', the real question is what is the next step of escalation, could he find a Tesla coil and somehow to zap her with a million volts the best he had got was about 50,000 form an electric fence redirected in to a hotel appliance in Bulgaria.

X

They got out of the pool and Thalia sent off her thralls, they sat down Thalia drying. Percy asked, "So did you have a productive day, Lov?" clearly wondering if there was something else that or did she done with the day other than fucking around with the people, she could admit to her self it is a bit out of character for her to start a scuffle.

Thalia continued to dry her hair as she answered "I came to a decision," there was a beat of silence Percy attention completely on her, "we're going back to America for Thanksgiving."

"You do..." Percy began to ask questioningly before Thalia cut him off.

"Yes I do, there is mystical manipulation at play. But I want to see Annabeth for Thanksgiving and your coming." As Percy sat there in silence for some time Thalia wondered if she had pushed too hard. "you have an excellent reason to not go, I would have even proposed it second but isn't a bit late for Thanksgiving."

There was a bit of a stare down then Percy breathed out with clear exasperation "OK lov," Thalia was hit by a wave of relief, she had not pushed Percy too much and would not need to mess around in his head to bring him along. "But," the apprehension flowed back just as fast as it left, "After you have seen Annabeth for Thanksgiving and we deal with whatever godly nonsense happens to happen when we are there we come right back here at least by the start of next year. I have a feeling that the Ancient Egyptian mysticalness still exist, I just have not found it yet, there is something with the mist. And you have to help me explore." Thalia thought that it would have been obvious that she would have done this anyway. "It will be a god to finally get a god that will bless us with teleportation." Thalia could not blame him for that last one, he had been telling her all about it since they had developed trust, and she had come around being anywhere you want instantly is so versatile. Appear next to a monster and kill it before it realises that you are there, just as lethal as thousands of volts.

After that Thalia organised the fights and other travel stuff online bookings are incredible, finished with the computer she put Percy to sleep by forcing his brain to flood him with melatonin so he would not have to bad jet lag, and made herself follow right to be behind.

At the airport Percy noticed that there was a stronger effect on the mist, Thalia noticed as well but found that she didn't give a shit they had a flight to catch. As much as Thalia hated flying Percy made it better the scare factor of gravity slamming your body into the ground making you a bloody pulp is diminished when you have a boyfriend that can fly. What was better than that, just going to sleep.

There was a light shake of her shoulder and a half whisper in her ear "time to wake up lov." getting up, Thalia found a chink in her neck it was not to bad price to pay for a twelve-hour sleep in an aeroplane seat. This framed the fact that it was time for crappy plane food an awful negative rather then a negative, Thalia might have had a bit of a temper tantrum but making the flight attendant ware spaghetti was worth the lifetime ban on that airline.

Landing was slow before dawn but the airport was the quickest at this time, leaving by cab there was good traffic in the city the day was so fast instead of heading straight to long island, they stopped to get a bit to eat at Percy's favourite deli from when he was young and actually bothered to pay with real money and not the mist manipulated imaginary stuff, Thalia found it mediocre but the power of nostalgia let Percy have a good meal.

Two iris messages and they ended up with a meeting with Annabeth in the city she was on the way back to camp after her fight with her step-mum on Thanksgiving. She had been waiting for Thalia for a couple of days the girl had been surviving which is good for a demigod.

X

Annabeth throw another coin into the fountain, it was the fourth day she had been here to do it, in the early morning the sun creates a rainbow effect. "oh goddess Iris please hear my call, Thalia grace Daughter of Zeus Europe." nothing happened and the message Fizzled out. Annabeth throws another one in it was this routine was becoming a waste, " oh goddess Iris please hear my call, Thalia grace Daughter of Zeus North America."

Annabeth found her self a little surprised that it showed Thalia on some street corner with Percy, "hey!" Annabeth called thought the message, the both focused directly in front of them at her. "hey, we just got in a little while ago what great timing, so how are you going?" Annabeth was a bit taken aback by Thalia's positive mood she was usually a lot more gloomy, going to Europe must have been good for her. But before she could answer that it was hard going cross country alone a bird from the fountain flew threw the message dispelling it.

That abrupt end and seeing the couple have some food remaindered her of her lack of food, it would be another dine and dash. During her meal at a chain store, because the loss of profit would not affect the place too much, she got an Iris message from Percy and Thalia at the same fountain she was just at. "hey!" Thalia stole Annabeth greeting, "Ok you two stay right there I will come two you." Annabeth shouted this to the whole store before in one motion swiping the mist away and making it look like she was putting a phone in her pocket and sprinted out the store leaving a half-eaten meal.

Seeing Thalia in person was great, at the start of summer when Thalia returned to life Annabeth realised that thinking it was going to be the way it was before was not any good, everything had changed they still had yet to discuss Grover or Luke. But the friendship was re-established quickly but the change of dynamics meant it not quickly enough to cut out Percy and that was the problem. The summer was great when she was not studying and Thalia was not hanging out with Percy they wore rediscovering each other there was a lot that Annabeth had not realised about her idol 5 years ago and in Thalia's word "you have grown amazingly."

After summer they had planned to go to school together and Annabeth would try to interact with her parents again but Thalia bounced to go to Europe with Percy leaving Annabeth the school was great so she stayed with her dad until her step-mother crossed the line and called her a bitch monster. During Thalia's time in Europe, in an effort to contact her Annabeth discovered you could add godly parent to the name of the person you wanted to contact then you could just ask over a Continent, if she hadn't found this out she would not have found this out then she would not have talked to Thalia of her the last couple of months. But seeing her in person now would allow her to talk about all the thing that could not be told over a few short Iris message's.

Percy stayed for Annabeth recount of making her way across contrary it was the usual for a demigod, hiding from monster cheating motels and diners out of payment, and a few exciting fights when hiding didn't work, doing hitchhiking or train to jump. Having the smart-ass not smart-passing as a bit off-putting but his only contribution was helpful, "So I have been here the last few days and whenever I tried to contact you two in Europe or here it didn't work till today." Annabeth finished her tail enjoying minimal interruptions. Percy offered the first opinion, I think you need to learn some Mist Manipulation I don't get this Iris message complication, it is interesting that you can add parents names to get a person more accurate."

"I wonder if the trains are the same as they are as in Europe." this was Thalia's clear Segway to talk but there time is Europe was ignored by Percy, Annabeth could not tell if this was on purpose,

"I Get It! We weren't in Europe over the last few days we were in Egypt."

"and this in Africa," Annabeth finished of the explanation. "so tell me all about your trip."

Thalia leaned in for a privet conversation Percy followed, a hushed conversation for a few seconds. They went back to there positions, "I think I will go live some nostalgia, l will be back in an hour or two. When I get back I want a decision on if and how long till we go camping." he took a cheeky from kiss Thalia, "Have fun Lov's." Lov's was pounced in a very out of place English ascent before Annabeth could give comment about it, "that's wired, isn't it?"

"Yes but you tell him to stop it will most likely backfire and he will become more enthusiastic about it, it has grown on me it's almost endearing." Thalia answered the question and asked one of her own, " so most interesting first or chronologically?" Annabeth was intrigued by the first potion but was surprised by the use of 'chronologically' she could not remember that level of vocabulary being used when she was 7 and she did have a good memory of this stuff. So Annabeth chose option two, "chronologically, please" she wanted to know if Thalia new what chronologically was but could in bring herself to doubt Thalia directly.

So in order with a few dates for major events, Annabeth learnt all about 'England, Germany, the Scandinavians, Poland, Russia, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Egypt.' from the viewpoint of a fifteen-year-old (she thinks tree time is hard to work out.)

"All of that sound's absolutely incredible, how did you get the god's approval to go?" the answer was a shrug with an attitude that was why would I need their permission to travel. "you could come after when we go back at the start of next year."

"I'll think about it." Annabeth thought the idea was tempting but made her uneasy going to a forbidden land for the hell of it no thank you but on the other hand new knowledge straight from Percy's experiments, she could have told him about three-quarters of the stuff he discoverer, that left one-quarter unknown.

X

Percy was having a banning time wondering New-York reliving his childhood but the good memory's where less fruitful as a time when on, giving way to the not so good ones. This is why Percy mad the executive decision to find and get a car for the drive to long island, Percy was not thinking grand theft about was a good idea in this crowded city finding a finding a car rental place in generic adult disguise and renting a car was a breeze. It is a four-door, blah blah blah the teller explained before handing over the keys but after doing a ton of paperwork, all just bull shited answers.

Percy could tell the girls where a bit surprised when he pulled up and from a laneway screamed "get in" much louder than necessary. The ride was good but car games are difficult to play when driving, it was a good thing that he could keep on the road, he had learnt how to do that from trial end error all across Europe Thalia had learnt with him, it was great when they crash in to each other they had a lot of fun faking road rage.

Annabeth was a bit unhappy there single hand decision but she got over it when they left the city and she could drive the rest of the back roads way there. This left Percy to have a bit of a nap letting him catch up on some sleep that he found he could not do on the plane during the last flight, this was oddly enough the opposite on the flight over.

There was the tell tail stopping of a car waking Percy up from his sleep both girls where out of the car, Percy opened the door and stretched as he got out, grabbing Thalia's hand there was the usual static shock accompanied by the feeling more alertness. Walking towards camp there was a surprising existence of emotion arriving back to camp, could it be that it was the only place he had returned to three times in his life. That was not quite right, probably Thalia that would make more sense.

There was not an immediate wave of animosity towards Chiron and the authority he represents, Percy found this rather enlightening if he had the commonplace wave of animosity he probably would not have noticed that it was there of the fact it was attached to the authority the centaur represented.

These uncommon reactions continued to happen all the way through camp all of them were either reduced negativity or increased positivity the fact it was happening he found ridiculous why was Beckendorf a good guy instead of just a background person, why was there a break in the pattern with Aphrodite cabin having newfound animosity for showboating when he didn't care before and there was a lack of positivity when Dionysus finally came out of his mid-morning nap to say hi.

Percy spent all day being dragged around by Thalia, who was following Annabeth as the child of Athena caught up with all her all year round camp friends. During this journey, Percy was contemplating why his perceptions had changed so much it was noticeable, the most realistic thing he found he theorised was that a mystical creature that attached it's self to him and was affecting him. Percy found it hard to believe that it could actually happen and it was the most realistic.

Their dinner was nice Thalia and Percy sat together at Posidens table for dinner, Thalia seemed oddly eager to start a fight but there were no takers, they after they split up to go to bed.

Percy was lying in bed trying to sleep when the light of an Iris message forced its way through his eyelids Percy did his best to ignore it until there was a semi-familiar voice, "Percy I need you to help." Percy rolled out of bed and came face to face with hades and what would nicely be described as chaos from what Percy could remember of the underworld it looked like there were prisoners from the fields of Punishment everywhere.

"you look like you in a bit of a pickle how can I help out?" Percy asked knowing that he would what shadow travel and already weighing up what would and not be worth it. not much was categorised as not worth it. "So long story short I have two kids at a school called Westover Hall. Alecto saw checking on them periodical and she has not returned from her last trip 3 weeks ago, I need to keep this place in check it sort of got out of hand with Alecto's disappearance. Find out what happened to her and keep my kids safe Nico and Bianca di Angelo."

"Done for shadow travel." there was a moment where hades thought about it and a skeleton on fire ran through the background. "Ok, I will figure it out. you don't get anything if my kids are harmed and Zeus will not take this well."

Percy woke up, and he was annoyed hades gave him a demigod dream disguised as an Iris message. Looking through the windows Percy saw the first rays of sunlight, he was going to have to tell Thalia that he was going on a hades quest. she would think that it was just him saying 'I told you so' without saying 'I told you so', she would demand to come along and then be unhappy that they had come back and within a few days where actually on a quest from a god.

x

Annabeth was having a good morning with Thalia and seeing the way Percy treated the camp and campers it was conclusive Thalia was having a good effect on him, that was why she watches intently when Percy came up and complained about hades being a disorganised piece of trash was going to give him shadow travel teleportation powers. Thalia got defensive about the existence of the quest before demanding to come along and help. not wanting to miss out on what happened next, Annabeth invited her self along for the ride Percy didn't like this but Thalia stopped any protests with a glare, So Awesome.

In the taxi, they took over and used mist to make the drive take them on the hours-long journey to Westover Hall they sat in silence Percy somehow using a phone and Thalia doing some mediation, this left Thalia alone with her thoughts so she did what she did best and strategies this was a bit difficult with a lack of information.

About an hour into the ride, she finally broke the silence "Percy I need to know what we're doing after a short explanation of his plan that was 'find the di Angelo's'. Annabeth remembered everything Wrong with having to deal with Percy, Annabeth end up sitting quietly the rest of the journey hoping that Thalia might chime in, she only did to accuse Percy of the quest being fake.

x

Thalia didn't know what to think, what was Percy up to. Coming in saying that he had a quest from a god while being a nervous bundle of nerves, experiencing his nervous system it was in panic mode, it was a clear sign he was up to something and what better way to find it out than call his bluff or helping if it comes that Percy was in panic over another thing. Both have good ends, either she is right or Percy probably gets something neat from Hades.

Percy continuing to play out the scenario got frustrating, she had already called the bluff but there were going all the way to some school in the middle of nowhere, there was no way there were back here two days and he was already dragged into godly shenanigans.

Percy wanting to continue the ridicule scenario by breaking into the school on the day of there dance, this had Thalia near her breaking point, was right up until they were stopped by an intimidating man standing in the hallway with name tag Dr Thorn. "What aré you kids doeng, you three should bé at le danec." There was a menace to the man he was dangerous and she knew it, there were a few seconds where she tried and failed to put her finger on what made him menacing, Percy was in a sensory state from they were his neuron dampened activity, and Annabeth was looking for a good response that would allow them to find out where the dance room was without giving way that they didn't know where the room was. Annabeth took a little bit to long and to the teacher spoke again "Are you even students haire, what's yur names?" This time Annabeth answered immediately "I'm Annabeth Chase, this is Thalia Grace and that's Percy Jackson, we were just going to the dance we got a bit lost."

Thalia was hit by a force from Percy's side that knocked her in to Annabeth forcing them both down then there where several 'Whoosh' above her head she turned to look the wall behind her and there were spikes dug in to the stone and then back there was no Dr Thorn, she Jumped up to see Percy was already pulling on a spike in the wall.

While Percy was doing that she gave a hand to Annabeth, "What was that and could you have just warned us instead of pushing us down." Annabeth question was directed towards Percy

"I don't know had a feline body and shot this from a tail." He though the spick from the wall, "your guess is as good as mine, which is a Sphinx. I am thinking that this monster is what took down Alecto. We need to find it, did either of you see with the way it went."

Thalia heard a hollow "no" come from her mouth in course with Annabeth as the realisation that Percy was not messing around and this was a real request from Hades there where actual stakes that she didn't even bother to find out about.

Thalia spits from Percy keeping Annabeth with her, at one point during their frantic search of the school the end up in a depressingly slow dance there was some old time slow song and everyone so just sitting around. This was where Annabeth decided to ask another teacher, "Excuse me mam where is Dr Thorn?"

"Ms Gottschalk my dear I believe I just saw him go that way," she pointed to a door near the bleachers. Thalia herd a distant "what do you think of my music" as she sprinted to the door Annabeth right on her tail.

The door led into a dark hallway, there were sounds of scuffling up ahead, then a painful grunt. Thalia pulled out her maces transforming it to a spear and got her shield read to activate, there was a certain thrill heading into the darkness without Percy right behind as back up. One step to the next Annabeth disappeared she must have gone under her invisibility cap. As all of the light but the faint glow from the spear tip disappeared just like Annabeth, was when there was another Whoosh, this time there was no Percy pushing her out the way there was incredible timing the shield opening was at the precise moment that the spike was above her wrist, the side of the sild hit the spike sending it sailing over her head. There was then another volley all making contact and damaging the shield, this happened over an over again as Thalia tracked deeper into the hallway. Doors opened on the far end illuminating the situation with the light of the night.

It was a starling view, Thorn was at the door with a relatively large tail and two children one over each shoulder, they were flailing around but gagged. Why the fuck hadn't Percy told her that the stakes where children, Annabeth must have had an equal shock she tripped over right in front of Thorn and lost her cap. The monster took advantage immediately, his tail hovering over Annabeth head, "Bak off air shé dees." So Thalia took a step back, " Good now put you spair and shield on la ground." First, she let go of her spear next she let her shield drop, almost immediately she was hit there was a spike in each leg seemingly incapacitating her, she dropped to the ground but stopped her brain from receiving the pain signals so she could think clearly. There was a moment where thorn stood there just looking at her telling Annabeth instruction quietly enough so that she couldn't hear them before he left with her friend at the tail point. Both spicks had hit her knees shattering the knees caps and destroying the joints she could crawl after them with her arms but there was no way she could catch them.

Therefore she did something only ever discussed and that was on the plane to England, she sent out the largest pulse in the mist she could it would act like her own personal SOS for Percy. He showed up in no time and began work immediately she had no idea how he could heal with water or give that ability to others but it was less than a minute from when Percy had dragged the condensation from very low humidity air to when she was standing up and slowing letting the nerves from her knees send signal to her brain. Percy leads the way through the woods tracking "Something I'm unsure of how to describe, it is like a mystical residue in the mist from the extrema panic of the demigod children, I think. Maybe?" It was much answered as it was questioned, though when they found the Di Angelo's and Annabeth on a cliff how they didn't really seem to matter.

X

Percy could know there was sea at the bottom of the cliff it was a long way down so Percy began the work of bringing it up as he gets some answers, "So thorn I find my self curious what happened to the fury?"

Thorn looks of balanced by the question, "'ow did you know zat zere was a fury, non mattair she was non challengé when taken by surpriz." Percy found himself intrigued by the casual implication of underhanded tactics this monster presented as one that could have his principles could be taken advantage of.

Thalia got impatient and went in for the attack, a spear at the ready and shield fully expanded the Gorgon face in the moon light was so bad that even Dr Thorn winced and growled when he saw it, that didn't reduce his dexatry giving him the ability to drop the phone he was holding in his tail and swat the spear way thorn was holding up incredibly well considering he had a kid over each shoulder and one Annabeth trapped under his right foot.

This situation didn't last thorn dropped the kids turning to his ultimate form his face still human, but his body that of a huge lion and a leathery, spiky tail covered deadly Spikes. This changed the fight Thalia was forced to her much weaker defence but it let the di Angelo's crawl away from the edge.

Thorn got a full hit on Thalia her shield went in one direction and the spear in a second while she went in a third, there was an immensely strong impulse to run to her and forget everything else but turning his back on thorn would be tantamount to suicide.

The di Angelo's had got a far distance from Thorn Percy raised his sword and shield projecting half-heartedness as he stepped in front of the children, the water was two thirds of the way up the cliff and he needs to fight a monster that beat Thalia with out breaking a sweat he did have his second skin but he would need more water to fight. Then a helicopter showed up looking heavily armed, it really was time to stall, "so can I hear about the fight between you and Alecto she was my math teacher at one stage." The monsters face displayed it was not entertained, "what about this crave weather herms must be highly emotional." Stating something incorrectly didn't help he raised his tail menacingly, "why do you have a French accent." That did get a tilted head, "I mean that it's not like you where conceived in modern-day France and when I was there the was not a demigod in site so it's not like you could have stayed there for a long enough time that it could have affected you speech, So what's going on?"

"Ok, zat eez an intairésteng answair and zeré eez a réason ai choose to pretend to be a teachair." The monster began bitterly, "when ai was a young monticairé een Greece lé gods banishéd mé to Prussia, when zére whaire een England France was ze equivailent, ai spent abut 250 yairs zere until almost a century ago ai was murdaired dureng un of la 'umans wars, those yairs inflicted me wiv a fondest fair zeir diailect ai would speak Francais if anyone would know what eez was saieng."

The water was most of the way up the cliff, the manticore was revolving in the glory of giving a good answer than a piercing sound: the call of a hunting horn blowing in the woods. The manticore froze, there was only the swirl of snow and wind and the chopping of the helicopter blades. "No," Dr Thorn said. "It cannot be—" His sentence was cut short when something shot past me like a streak of moonlight. A glowing silver arrow sprouted from Dr Thorn's shoulder, he teetered on the edge of the cliff and send dozens of spikes into the woods where the arrows had come from. It was an impressive show of skill seeing arrows cut down the Spikes in mid-air.

Thorn pulled the arrow out of his shoulder with a howl of pain, he raised Annabeth as a human shield in the direction of the Arrows this slowed the fire from the group in the wood. Percy moved the di Angelo's to Thalia so he could guard all of them against the ranged fight, Percy's water was at the top of the cliff the Archers where to ing shell with the Manticore so Percy kept the water heading up to the Chopper it was more difficult without the cliff wall but nothing he couldn't manage.

The next sage of the raged fight was the archers came from the woods, they were all children, and there was about a dozen of them. The youngest was maybe ten of the oldest thirteen or fourteen. They wore silvery ski parkas and jeans, and they were all armed with bows, the group of all girls advanced on the manticore with excellent precision in cover or dogging whenever a spick came their way while keeping Angles to have shots that would not hit Annabeth. "The Hunters!" Annabeth screeched. Thalia muttered, "Oh, wonderful." This got me more interested, what did she mean.

One of the older archers stepped forward she was notable by a silver circlet braided into the top of her long dark hair, so she looked like some kind of mythic heroine. "Permission to kill, my lady?" she kept her eyes on the Manticore, not revealing who she was talking to.

The monster argued about rules and a twelve-year-old that had some ethereal beauty and she had as much power as Dionysus told the monster 'no.' so he jumped off the cliff with Annabeth before disappearing probably with the same teleporting device that Luke had. Percy really wanted the shadow to travel it would be so fun to jump off cliffs build up a ton of momentum and appear in a fight smashing ten enemy's with your body from being at terminal velocity.

"Annabeth!" Thalia yelled. She ran to the edge of the cliff and the chopper started to fire a snap-snap-snap filled the air most of the Hunters scattered as tiny holes appeared in the snow at their feet, but the girl with auburn hair just looked up calmly at the helicopter. I didn't really have time to focus on that my water had reached the helicopter so I solidified it and pushed the automatic gun inward this destroyed the helicopter sending spiralling into the sea and killed everyone on board.

The Hunters advanced on us, The mythic heroin stopped short when she saw Thalia. "You," she said with distaste. "Zoë Nightshade." Thalia's voice trembled with anger. "Perfect timing, as usual." Zoë scanned the rest of us. "Four half-bloods, my lady." This title made sense now that I knew that it was a girl god "Yes," the younger girl said. "Some of Chiron's campers, I see." That did raise my emotions "I think that you mean Dionysus campers." The mythic heroin named Zoë tried to slap Percy but she found a dislocated wrist from hitting solidified water, the girl deserved it for whatever she did to Thalia. But by the changing luminesce of the 12 year-olds eyes thing where getting more hazardous. "Look I get it you an immortal and a powerful one at that you want respect and whatever else so thank you for helping with the manticore even if it meant one of our group got taken now I politely ask you to fuck off you have a group of volatile girls that look like they what to kill me and unless you do that or they get lucky in there attempts they will day trying and if there is one thing I have learnt from the history to avoid killing loyal followers of beings that are powerful. So unless you are offering a reward for a quest you, will find I have a 100% success record so far and am willing to haggle, I repeat fuck off very respectfully."

That half speech was distracting enough to give Percy time to unbind the di Angelo's and go over to Thalia, "Is she really gone?" the girl at the cliff asked shakily.

"Just for now we will find her." Percy answer as he pulled Thalia to her feet. This was overheard by a group of hunters that had followed there leader and not fucked off. The girl goddess "We shall discuss Annabeth chase in due time but I think there are more pressing matters." The concept of gods and demigods was explained to the Di Angelo's Nico saw to excited for his own good and Bianca was too resistant for her own good.

The now revealed goddess Artemis took Bianca and left Nico with Thalia and Percy, as a camp was built around them Percy got a very biased view of the Hunters and a request to rip into them as best he could, for this request to work best he need the other side. This leads him to a hunter that had set up her tent Atlanta was the healer of after Artemis, and during her few centenaries she had to heal a young male that the hunters had accidentally harmed. So when Percy came asking for clarification on the most outlandish of claims that Thalia made "The hunters eat the hearts of any baby male infants to increases their proficiency with a bow and arrow." He was sent to the only one how would talk to him 'The hunters don't eat baby hearts by the way' it was an interesting conversation Percy expending a lot of effort to hold all judgment about practices and the reasons or lack of reasons behind them. It was took Percy by surprise that most of these girls where abuse victims from males and they are so isolated that they never interact with any male for hundreds of years, Percy wondered if it was ok to let people that had suffered abuse ignore it for hundreds of years letting whatever psychological issues develop, grow and fester.

Looking after Nico was ok till the kid asked: "If Annabeth's mother was Athena, the goddess of wisdom, then why didn't Annabeth know better than to fall off a cliff?" Thalia punched him in the face he was not so inquisitive after that. And then only a little bit later where we sent to Artemis tent Zoë and Thalia making angry eyes the entire time, and some light dissing, Percy liked this one of Thalia's, "you couldn't hit reality even if it slapped you in the face."

The child goddess had a nice tent everything themed to nature "Grover would have loved this." Thalia mentioned wistfully as they entered. Percy was not quite sure there were a lot of furs and he was pro-environmental and animal rights Percy got the feeling that she was talking in terms of the fact that sitar where noted to be unconditional in love with Artemis.

"Percy Jackson, Thalia Grace, have a seat, " the goddess said. Percy sat next to Thalia and across from the goddess they were all on the tent floor, Zoë sat down at Artemis's right. The goddess studied both of them, they studied her right but her thousands of years' experience in the waiting game won out.

"So what are we doing here?" Thalia asked breaking the silence. Percy was surprised by the lack of quip from Zoë, "that is the question isn't it, what's the point of it all why are we here and whatnot. Though from you impatience I gather you are talking more literally, why have I brought you here and now? I need to know what the manticore said Bianca heard a lot but everything helps, Percy recounts as best he can and Thalia filled in any missing details. There was another long silence as the goddess processed the story Percy broke this silence with what was an Innocuous question but with the pervasive antimale sentiments he was sure he could have the conversation go down the rabbit hole he found most interesting, "So what's with your age I understand judging random strangers by how they treat children and there is veneering you power to increase comfortability for you hunters but there is another element I'm not getting?"

"I could appear as anything I want, but this is what I prefer. This is the average age of my Hunters and all young maidens for whom I am patron before they go astray." She answered beginning the rabbit hole, "by 'Go astray' you mean there biological urge to continue humanity, well it is closer to the biological urge to have sex and the instinct to procreate, but that's what you meant?" this was a good decision by Percy showing he lived in a world where there were reasons, logic qualifiers and exceptions. The bottom of the rabbit hole was closer than expected, "Yes your criticism of my perspective has been well documented and argued, the simple fact is I don't care. Yes in a world that is how I would prefer with something analogues to the Amazonian rule would not work long term. There are two things that are important to keep in mind for the few months to a year before chaos sets in will be the most glorious of humanity and I have been on this journey for 3 thousand years and the population of free men had just increased in this time so in theory I will never complete my path. Now leave Boy." Percy took a deep breath, closed his eyes and reach for Thalia's hand he took two more breaths to complete the calming exercise. Percy opened his eyes and for a half a second could swear that he saw surprise on the goddess's face, "you say you don't care about the world as it is. So does this Attitude extend to children, there is a little boy demigod that was abused by his mom broken bones and all. If he were to stumble upon your group what would happen, look you not a monster so his major injuries would be treated and this is a stick no male isolationist attitude so there is no way he would be able to become a hunter. Honestly, I find myself surprised that I was not murdered in the past hour, So tell the kid to 'fuck off' if your feeling nice today give the little tyke a few platitudes then wish him the best of luck with finding camp. I know I painted a bleak picture, but my question still stands." Zoë's reaction was probably the most interesting in the group, she was continually flipping between loyal support of whatever Artemis was saying and a mixture of outrage at what Percy was saying while curious about Artemis's answer to the question he posed. "I asked you to leave." Percy looked to Thalia and silently asked 'will you be ok?' he got a half nod, but as he stood up and began to exit, "if you make him leave I'm going as well."

"you may go if you wish child but don't think your actions went unnoticed." Artemis gave Thalia that ominous thing as they exited. Thalia demeanour completely changed, she said "ok I will stay." With the air of a petulant child.

Percy was tired he was too tired for whatever was going to come up next but he decided he was not tired enough to go to sleep in one of the campers tents, Percy retrieved the fold up water bed and a tarp out of his all use backpack that was not all that useful in big city's. Next, he strung the tarp over a nice sleeping area that reasonable close to the hunters camp. He proceeded to suck the water for some nearby trees and filled the water bet with it. Then he had a lovely sleep.

"Sadly, no. I want you to escort the Hunters back to Camp Half-Blood. They can stay there in safety until I return." It's time for you to meet my irresponsible twin, Apollo."

X

"Zoe take this girl away." They left the ten and immediately started to trade Insults, 2000 years and still acting like a 16-year-old.

Artemis had trouble believing the events that had just happened in front of her, it was not uncommon for the accusation posed by the male demigod to come up from time to time it was unfortunate that you can't care about everything all the time but that is reality and her hunters were her priority. Having the actions shown in the worst possible way, so eloquently from one so young was impressive but not the thing she had trouble believing, it was low-level electrical manipulation that Thalia might have shown. Artemis tried her best to get some answers from the girl bus she was a brick, admitting to nothing and there was no real way to prove whether it was happening or even know but was enough of a display to be concerned about it's potential to be the reality.

Alexander the Great was the only demigod recorded to be able to perform low-level electrical manipulation and he only did is subconsciously and later in life but managed to conquer over 2 million square miles, this though it was unreal. A shame she refused a spot in hunters all those years ago.

And there was the talk of the great stirring that Athena's kid would have been very helpful filling in the details but it is hard to always get what you want she would have to work with what her new hunter had remembered. There was a tug on Artemis's essence, it was nearing dawn her hunters would hate being separated but there was no way she was going to bring anyone on this quest.

X

Thalia was pissed, she understood the implication of the question Artemis asked 'that she was making Percy ack against his free will' it was bullshit Percy was follow her blithely long before she started using her powers to make him not feel all that bad, the goddess had no idea what she was talking about.

Finding Percy asleep was not good, she wanted to know what had happened to make the hunters feel bad. She tapped Percy's forehead waking him, he let out a big yawn "hey there, is it still dark?" Thalia wondered if he was more wake, would he kick himself for asking a question that could be answered by looking around. "Yes, but it will be dawn soon. Now let me sit down."

Percy swung his legs to the side making room next to him she plopped her self in the newly made space. "So what was that you were meant to rip into her and the hunters."

"You heard her, didn't you? I don't care."

"So what?"

"My approach was going to be to rip on her by pointing out the illogical premise that killing half the population is a good idea, thus making the person feel bad for holding illogical premise or make them angry and then complain about them being emotional. But if she has rationalised way the illogicalness of her goals by not caring. That is the way I changed tack and did anecdotal about an abused boy manifesting, manifesting the inequality but unless that with it's an infinitesimally small chance of becoming reality it won't matter until then."

Thalia could see his point but it didn't make her feel any better when he put his arm around her shoulder that made her feel better. They stayed like that till sunrise that just happened to coincide with a man pulling up in a flame corvette.


	6. Book 3 Part 2

A.N. It's been a while enjoying

Apollo was coming in hot, landing a car that was on fire, Percy closed his eyes disliking how fear ruled him in this situation. However, dying from exposure to a godly form was more persuasive, than the voice in the back of his head saying, 'risk it, finding out, knowing, will be worth it.' "Percy why are your eye's closed?" Thalia asked what a simple question with a was concerning premise, his hand moved to cover her eye's. he had expected her to know about the danger of viewing an immortal form, there is no way death was going to befall Thalia by ignorance, or anything for that matter was happening.

Percy could still remember his own disbelief when Dionysius had mentioned during a story, there was a hero that died from looking at the immortal form of Zeus. Seeing it as prank bait where Percy would say, 'bull shit', and Dionysus would change forms, thus forcing Percy to close his eyes unwilling to defend his word with the risk of death. Later while looking at the records in Athena's cabin he discovered that it was not a prank, or it was a very thorough prank.

Discovering a way to look at the gods in their divine form was a low objective on the ever-growing list of ability's he needed or wanted, he still needed to get teleporting from Hades, that had some much potential to be useful.

A bright flash occurred signifying the change to a less lethal form, Percy removed his hand and opened his eyes, immediately approving of the fire hazard. The closest plants to the car where steam, there was no fire to yet but give it enough time and the whole forest could burn down, Percy pushed the light pyromania away.

Apollo got out with a grin, it was oddly reminiscent of a puppy, full of energy and vigour. He was looking 18 or 19, he had long blond hair blue eyes and unexpectedly average features for a god. The guy was clearly trying to be unpredictable, Percy would say he was succeeding.

"What was that?" Thalia gritted through her teeth, "I'm not fucking stupid I know you can't look at gods when they're like that, it was just a joke."

"Sorry" Percy whispered back, the simple reply giving him pause was that something to get mad over, it was a bit odd. Thalia still annoyed muttered. "Apollo is hot." Percy was unable to stop himself from turning down the opportunity, even if it would exacerbate her anger, "well he is, the Sun God." It turned out to be a good move she rolled her eyes, but the rest of her face relaxed.

They moved the conversation on, Thalia began with, "flaming Corvette." There were appreciation and even admiration. Percy had noticed that there was a sports car, he had no instant appreciation for car's aesthetics or prestige, this had become a point of contention in Europe, Thalia did have the ability to appreciate a car for its aesthetics and had wanted one to go around Europe. Percy had vetoed that, neither of them could drive with any skill. She stolen one anyway, they try to traverse Europe in it, it was promptly crashed.

He was able to recognise the value of the piece of metal for its functionality, but the fact this thing was, in theory, the sun, and now appeared as a fancy sports car didn't register as something of note. Until he got wondering about the astronomy of the situation, was the sun just a giant fusion reaction, this could be very interesting but would have to be shelved for the moment.

Percy could feel waves of intensity as Apollo got out of the car, it was an odd sensation he had no real way to describe it, and no one was reacting to them but Artemis. Percy reasoned it would be because of his experience with the mist and its manipulation, that he was able to feel this at all. Apparently, it was some godly power play, Artemis matched the waves of intensity with waves of her own, but they were slightly different frequency, just as she did he spoke. "Little sister!" Apollo called stopping his waves, Artemis stopped the waves in kind, could it be the equivalent of a secret code. "What's up? You never call. You never write. I was getting worried!"

Artemis sighed with just a little exaggeration. "I'm fine, Apollo. And I am not your little sister." Apollo countered, "Hey, I was born first." The conversation dissolved into what was clearly well-worn banter, Apollo even performed a haiku. For a given definition of haiku.

Zoe Nightshade turned to Nico, Percy and Thalia. "Lord Apollo has been going through this haiku phase ever since he visited Japan. 'Tis not as bad as the time he visited Limerick. If I'd had to hear one more poem that started with, there once was a goddess from Sparta—" it was surprising for Percy to see someone else insult the gods even if it was done with subtlety. "I've got it!" Apollo announced. "I am so awesome. That's five syllables!" He bowed, looking very pleased with himself.

Before the next round of after Percy cut in, "so are we leaving yet?" the questioning got it's intended effects there was a goodbye's, Apollo thinking transforming his car to a bus was impressive, during the prosses it was discovered that the bus had been a Maserati the vertical having been a Maserati angering Thalia. It was not long till a conversation that conserved Percy started, "So," Apollo asked, "Who wants to drive?" luckily everyone turned it down, or got turned down, Nico. But the question for Thalia's age came up, how old was she, 15 and 51 weeks, how there was only one week till she was 16.

X

Nico watched as the Hunters crammed into the back, so they'd be as far away as possible from Apollo as they could be, Bianca sitting with them. At first, he didn't mind that she had left him he had Percy and Thalia until he found that Percy was unhappy grumbling, 'Apollo the god I needed to focus on driving and can't answer for how the mortals explain the world.' Then Thalia to angry over something to do anything with him. Nico got to watch from a distance his sister happy and laughing for the first time he could remember; later Nico would realise that it was bittersweet.

x

Thalia was angry, it was not Percy couldn't see a joke, when it was hitting him in the face, if it came to her safety. Or that she could not tell the difference between a Corvette, and a Maserati they both look like a fun car to drive. It was Annabeth, she been brought back because Luke had turned on the gods and poisoned her, Grover had died on the quest to get the fleece to save her, now Annabeth was missing.

She should have done something or got Percy to do something, anything to stop Annabeth being taken. Percy was great she really liked him and knew that he loved her back, he would follow her anywhere. Even to the Titans if she wanted, she knew it was true, even if he had said it in a joking way. Honestly, recently she was losing her grip on her restraint, when you're with someone that knows everything you do and the darker desires you feel, then unwaveringly believes you can do no wrong. Because it will have been you taking the action, making it right no matter the activity.

She could torture and kill some poor helpless child that had done nothing wrong but be chosen by her and Percy would not see anything wrong with it because it was her that had done it. But it was only when she thought about that statement did she realise how horrible it was, that fact she could comprehend the notion of torturing and killing some poor helpless child.

The unwavering support has a way of making thing easier, it allows for a lot of more dubious actions to be justified with the reassures of Percy's wholehearted belief, just unsavoury options shared without judgment or horrifying thought experiments. It was a problem that she had noticed in Europe, but over the last few days with Annabeth and her strict moral compass Thalia knew that she could not do bad things without reprise from Annabeth, this had been a relief, but she failed at stopping Annabeth from being taken.

It was not even a second after the wetness started to pool in her eyes, then arms were around her. They were there the warm embrace soothing her, she took strength from Percy's own. Some time passed, they were still in flight when she was finally able to ask in a whisper, "was there anything that we could have done to save her?" Percy didn't give the immediate 'no' that would have made her feel better, he took his time before giving his answer, "not without endangering the kids." He was talking about the Diageo's and he was right it was a hectic fight and the kids were their main focuses if they had done thing differently to save Annabeth they would have been putting the kids in more danger.

Thalia felt herself become better as a resolution took place in her mind, they had saved the kids just like hades wanted, but now she was going to save Annabeth. That was that.

x

Percy stewed during the start of the ride, 'The chariot is a manifestation of the sun's power, the way mortals perceive it.' That was such a stock responds, that Percy would believe it was printed on a shirt. There has got to be a better mystical explanation, but the presence of Apollo was too great to sense anything. That was until is water sense told him that Thalia was on the verge of crying, he comforted her as best he could. It was hard for him to not just tell her that, 'there was nothing they could have done.' Not giving that answer hurt her, seeing her hurt, made him hurt in return. Percy powered through it, telling her what would make her feel better bight feel good but even with the pain she felt Thalia needed the truth.

She began to calm down when Percy explained that, everything would be ok. "So, they have taken Annabeth, but they didn't kill her right there on the spot." Thalia trembled a little bit probably from the imagined image of thorn killing Annabeth, "this is good, it means they wanted her for something, as a daughter of Athena I'm going to go with knowledge. The thing is that she is strong, so we just needed to get to her before she can break and give them what they what." Percy found it might challenge to not automatically describe Annabeth in the past tense, he managed it.

Thalia did not answer Percy, they sat together all the way back to camp half-blood, the bus pulled up right out the front for door opening perfectly in line with the arch sporting the title 'half-blood camp'. It was a striking sight, seeing snow over the camp, why would Dionysus want snow everywhere it was cold and uncomfortable, just be a hazard waiting to happen. On second thought he had answered his own question the god would ignore some cold on the off chance of it harming a demi-god.

It was an exercise in patience as they exited the bus but that had to wait for Apollo to fake hit on the hunters and Zoe rejected him genuine, Percy found it somewhat amusing that even after thousands of years of life Zoe hunter of Artemis cannot understand mock flirting. The god of the sun and whatever else, finally let them escape. During the performance of the bus transforming back to a car and flying off into the sky, Chiron appeared for the group.

"Welcome to camp, coming both new and old faces are equally welcome." The old horse gave them a smile as he looked over the group, Percy as glad he didn't leap with surprise at the voice. The shock wore off, and Zoe took the lead, "The common rules." It was a question, statement and command all rolled into one.

"Of course, though it would be good if you avoid the treats of castration." Chiro replayed with layers of meaning the fact that Zoe's age could range from years to millennia as a quasi-immortal the number and meaning of those layers would be incredible to understand if it was the later amount of time. "As I recall you prefer threats of the act," after dealing with Artemis Castration was appearing to be a light punishment.

The two, had a contest of wills, the locked gazes broken but Zoe answer made the winner ambiguous, "I look forward to winning 56th time in a row." There were a few sniggers and even a 'hunter rule', as the hunters entered the camp. Was that a parting shot or the point of the contest, Percy felt annoyance over not knowing that it had just happened, the thing was that was just that an annoyance.

His true difficulty was only something he could guess at, what were they going to win and how could he not participate. He already knew he didn't want to participate in whatever activity it was, with his luck it would be a capture the flag or another inane waste of time, the worst part is he would participate. Thalia would ask him to and there was no way he could justify disappointer her by refusing him, so he knew he was already doomed to participate in whatever this activity was.

Chiron focused on the three left, "Thalia, Percy it is good to see your safe," with a knowing grin, "I hope you had an enjoyable time exploring, there is so much would and usually so little time to see it."

"Who might you be," the old horse turned his attention to Nico. Percy had a hard time believing that the old horse didn't know how the boy was, but it was probably polite to ask in any case.

"Nico," Nico answered easily.

"Nico would you please come with me, I have a video that you should find me enlightening." Chiron took Nico after that leaving Percy and Thalia. They shared a parting kiss, Thalia when off to who knows where and Percy decided that Dionysus could be some good company, and he did need to try a new plan for getting the guy some secret alcohol.

Pretending that vodka from Russia was water didn't work to well but from the god's change in dementor Percy would that the immortal being had appreciated for the attempt, even if it was not wine understanding that grape juice was not even close to being inconspicuous. Percy found an oddity he told Dionysus about Annabeth, He responded with a sardonic "Oh, dear." A Percy only had a shadow of a smile, if that was said last summer Percy knew he would have a proper smile and a small chuckle.

Percy found himself surprised during the conversation that took the day, the conversation had its highlights, but it was the number of campers that had been surprising. There were not many campers at all, he knew that some left when it was not summer, but he hadn't realised that it was two-thirds of the camp.

They talked till dinner, but the entire time Percy felt a little off, diner sitting with Thalia was nice, but instead of following her other back to Zeus cabin to sleep together Percy intended to sleep so there spilt and he went back to Poseidon's cabin. That night piece full sleep came to Percy easily this was for a lack of a god, the god of the underworld, so Percy would have to find a rainbow and give that god a call today.

Percy spent the morning with Thalia, it was mid-day by the time he extricated himself to go down to the river by the forest, a quick application of water manipulation, a drachma and a pray to Isis and soon there were hades sitting in his thrown with a sullen expression. "what do you want?" the god of the underworld spat out, Percy was curious what was wrong but remained from asking and risking a swarm of the undead attacking him.

"I got your children back, I would like to have the ability to shadow travel." His demeanour lifted momentarily probably as he used godly powers to check on his children. The god waved his hand dispersing the mist call and giving Percy the power.

It was funking weird, Percy would even say unnatural understanding how hypocritical that sounds when considering he could literally control the seas. The power was there he could feel it in his Aura and how it lacked on to shadows whenever they were near, it was an odd sensation that Percy would put down to his heritage.

All of Percy's free time was taken up by devolving the new ability and learning to suppress the part of his Aura that had been affected by it. Suppressing it was not a change just required a bit more focus than usual, the difficult thing was the shadow travel. Percy had two issues while using the shadows to teleport one was his lack of ease if he didn't have the destination clearly set in his mind and sure there was a shadow where he was going then he would just bounce of whatever surface he moved in to and second was the energy spent. The first problem reduced him to the line of sight targets and the second after a morning of training he was dead no his feet and that night he had capture that flag and for some reason Thaila cared about winning.

Percy stared the opportunity to get the flag, it would be a quick sprint down the centre and back he could go and thiam would be happy because they would have beat the hunters, but she had told him that he needed to stay and guarded so he did. It was not all lost, Beckendorf's had noticed his view and cottoned on quick, Percy wished him the best of luck and really hoped for Beckendorf's ability to stay unelectrocuted, that he got the flag. the leader of cabin nine ran off into the fray vanish into the tree line at the bottom of Zeus' fist.

Soon their position was under attack, the Stoll brothers and Nico took out by blunt arrows to the head, the shots had come from the tree line. The only thing keeping Percy up from being the first victim of an arrow to the face was his second skin of water blunting the impact. Having extra high ground in these situations is why Percy lamented priming Thalia that he would not fly with water manipulation, but she was scared of highs and that meant that he could not fly, even if she was not around.

Percy darted to cover from the treelined where he visually confirmed that his comrades had been taken down, then he used his water since to check that it was ok. That had not to work too well he didn't notice anything out of the ordinary no fracture skulls but without knowing what to look for the was not the way to check for a concussion or the like. Then there was sensing for the challenger, this was Zoe or some hunter with her build and she was clinging fast it should be a 10 minutes climb to scale the fist and she was a quarter way up and it had not even been 1.

So, Percy just condensed some water and made the next handhold slippery the unexpected water had thrown her off and she fell to the bottom, Percy was only able to pull that trick off a second time when she was two-fifths of the way to the top, the third she made it. Percy uncapped the pen sword as she rose to meet the challenger, it was Zoe but before the sword had finished expanding he was aired rolling out of the way from a volley of the arrow and to cover next to the flag could even.

Percy looked at his sword and considered his above average sword skill there was no way they could hold up to Zoe's millennia of training and experience. He raised his head to see how his challenger was going to immediately duck aging avowing another arrow, I consider my supernatural options and smile with the thought of using my new power. A tug on the unnatural bit of my aura, the energy of teleporting and one satisfying thwack with the flat of his sword.

The was a great celebration for Beckendorf, having broken the 70something losing streak all the campers appeared to be having a good time but the important one. Thalia was projecting her dissatisfaction with the situation. Percy couldn't tell if it was that she was disobeyed, or if she wanted to have been the one to get the flag, whatever the reason it was enough to overpower the joy form beating the hunters.

A majority of the campers were thinking that it was the former when Thalia's dissatisfaction broke the merriment, "you took a stupid risk, I would have got the flag eventually." Percy could not help but agree she would have got it eventually and that is why he was thinking it might be the latter, after half a year of getting to know her Percy was confident not getting the flag itself had stung her.

Between the morning training and the evening game of capture the flag Percy was too tired to intervene in the brewing argument between the minority that believed it was the latter and thus Thalia was being a bad teammate. This minority headed by the person that she had scorned Beckendorf, had Percy was wondering if he would have to shack off his wariness and help Thalia out of the hole she was digging when she electrocuted Travis Stoll, the brother floundering on the ground jitter with the aftershock of the attack. Luckily, he didn't the spirit of Delphi making history by leaving the addict while in a mummified corps did a great job of distracting from the tension and brewing argument.

Personally, Percy didn't like the sound of a quest with 40% death rate that Thalia was going to go on, but that was also future Percy's problem current Percy was going to skip dinner and get some sleep. He had a great rest until he was woken up halfway through the night with a temperamental Pegasus.

"Yo boss, you need to come to look at this." Percy rolled over pulling the bed cover tighter, "I can hear you in there your awake and I'm not going away." It was a few more minutes of the black equine before Percy relented.

Glaring the animal that had escaped Luke's boat, "why the fuck do I need to come to see this mysterious thing can't you just tell me." Percy rolled his eyes that the Pegasus answer "Not really boss it is the hippocampus' they would only say that they need you to come and see." Percy had never liked that bullshit mystery that comes with you need to come and see this if a message can't describe it Percy figured that it must not be that important. It is just a way to add significance to things that are not important enough by themselves.

Percy was proven correct the hippocampus' needed him to free some sea cow, the thing had got caught up in a fishing net when he took his sword out to cut it free the monster thrashed around too much to cut it safely so Percy had to wait the few minutes of the monster to exhaust itself and get tangled to the point where it couldn't move before finally cutting it free. Getting back to the cabin was a simple task of forcing the Pegues that drag him out to see to take him back, he had another few hours of sleep after that late-night outing.

X

Zoe looked around a Ping-Pong table with a grimace, it held the cabin councillors responsible for electing the members of the quest. Dionysus and Chiron sat at one end of the table, Her and Bianca the other end, along the right sat lighting girl and her son of Poseidon lucky, sat on the left there was the new forge guy this one was rather amicable, Aphrodite kid and the unelectrocuted brother. She could see discontent flowing between the right side of the table with Zeus girl and her lucky against the left side of the table have Beckendorf, Aphrodite kid and the unelectrocuted brother all against lighting girl. She would have to go on a quest with some of this lot, fucking prophesies.

Zoe had been going over every line of the prophecy meticulously and it was bleak, 'One shall be lost. One shall perish', 1 of five to die, maybe even 2 but 'One shall be lost.' Doesn't scream death sentence. The more concerning line is 'Campers and Hunters combined prevail.' That was a clear declaration of needing a 2/3 split that is the only way of having a group of five that combines multiple hunters and campers. The problem would be getting the 3 for the hunter that way the majority of the group would be hunters and she would control group decisions, currently, her plan was to push for an all hunter party forcing them to compromise offering 2/3 split in her favour.

The council was to slow for Zoe's liking, there was too much pointless bickering, she did get her to wish in respects to the ratio of campers and hunters, Dionysus was as unhelpful as ever. Zoe was happy wither finally choose she had Phoebe one of her most staunch supporters within the hunters and she got Bianca. The girl was having difficulties most hunters bond over hating males, but Bianca hadn't had an awful experience and was very synthetic towards males having a brother making her see them as worth sympathy and respect before they prove they're better than their kin.

What really irritated Zoe was having a male on the quest, the lighting had volunteered immediately she clearly has ulterior motives for wanting to help with the quest to find her goddess, the old horse had agreed to send her along before Zoe could voice her complaints. Then without getting anyone's support the son of Poseidon lucky claimed the final spot he didn't even hide his ulterior motive plainly stating, 'I don't trust your ability to not screw up so badly that it does not put Thalia in more danger that she can get herself out of.'

Zoe tried to deny the boy a place, but no other camper was willing to join, either this son of Poseidon had threatened them to silence or going on a quest with a Lightning girl was so repugnant that no one else was willing to go but the result was unable to find a replacement for the boy. It was Bianca that pointed out the silver lightning, the boy was clearly subservient to lightning girls will.

X

Nico woke up extra early the morning the quest had to leave, he hid in the back of the van that they would leave in according to Travis, it was dawn when the van started. Nico reviled himself when they got to New York City and he was bodily kicked out by the hunter with the crown getting hard-eyed stares from his sister and the other hunter and sympathetic glances from Percy and Thalia.

X

Percy was having an enjoyable time 'misunderstanding' Phoebe insults there are not the more creative or insulting but being told that 'you're an idiot boy.' Was hilarious because I would make up some fake data and take it as a compliment, 'considering that those that fall under the average for general intelligence tend to have longer live spans that those that don't I agree I do have great vitality.' She would grit her teeth grinding her jaw so loudly I could hear it from the back. Ten minutes later she would throw out another kindergarten insult and I would take it as a compliment for a time I wanted to use classics like 'I know you are but what am I.' Instead I used more and more outlandish facts, 'did you know that loser was originally a term used by the ancient Egyptians that was used to mean air or more specialty air currents, I would just like you to know that you don't need to thank me for the ability to breath.' That one she clearly didn't believe but she didn't argue it either.

It was slow progress driving west we needed to find a trail for Phoebe to track we got to Pittsburgh before we had to stop and refuel, there the hunters made a plan Thalia was faced to accept and with her acceptance Percy feel in line, they would drive west the driver would switch for night and day the first switch was Chicago with Phoebe, switch again at Denver, by then they should have a trail.

This plan didn't last them to Chicago, Cleveland their next fuel stop they were attacked by the Nemean lion, when it swiped the van out of the gas station it was only Percy's water manipulation creating a buffer of gas pulled from the underground tanks between the swiping paw and van that stopped the vertical being torn in half.

The van stopped a good half block from the gas station, it gave everybody just enough time to get out of the van before the lion leapt on it crashing it and most of their supplies, this made Percy extra glad that he took the time to grab his enchanted bag before leaving the van.

X

Phoebe grinned as she shot another arrow into the lions left the eye, she loved a fight and what better then one of the great beasts, currently she was running distraction with Zoe, they eye, ears, nose, mouth and joints while the campers work on a plan. It was a great fight shot, run, draws ran, shot, run, draws, runs, shot over and over and over again. It was great working with Zoe, one would shot while the other is drawing and vice versa.

Phoebe was on arrow 36 out of 70, 6 in the left eye, 3 in the left ear, one hit the nose but didn't do anything just like arrows that hit joints, the goddam fur was indestructible, she had got 2 in its mouth, but opportunity's that had been non-existent after the first two.

Zoe got another shot in the right ear and that was when it happened, from above this oversized ball of gas dropped on the Nemean lion, the gas didn't act like a liquid it didn't play anywhere, it didn't spray at all, then there was the lightning it was not a dazzling display a small bolt but plenty to set the gas ablaze. The skin might have been indestructible but it was not fire resistant the lion burnt alive it shirked in pain but there was not a golden hair out of place, the skin was not damaged by the fire it was the meat underneath.

The shrikes where a perfect opportunity draw, take a deep breath, aim, release. The arrow flew true punching through soft pallet of the moth in to the skull, the giant cant turned to dust leaving behind a reward of the pelt Phoebe grabbed the magical item before anyone could call dibs, it turned in to hunter garb, she didn't wait for a second to put it on, they grouped up the van was destroyed in the attack so they made their way to the public transport station, they got there to find the place empty.

There was not a bus, tram, train or anything moving in site, there was the teller completely motionless as they slept, it has the transport hub an incredibly eerie feeling as it was in a city a lot of people should be needing to get from place to place but it was a ghost town within the live and bustling city outside.

"So, what's the plan?" Bianca asked chipperly she must not have realised something was wrong she even woke up the teller. "we go west." Zoe answered the teller looked like a college student with a t-shirt with a name tag of Fred, grown out hair for a guy and lank arms. "thee, how would the suggest we go west." The teller was started to be talked to, he lazily pointing to a bus that had words 'THE SUN WEST BUS', "that should do it" the teller answered with a yawn.

Percy found this genuinely unsettling because moments ago he would have sworn there were no busses, he was either losing his observant ability's or there was some magical trap in the works. "How much," Percy asked circumspectly, he keeps one hand in position to draw his sword.

"A Drachma each." The thing that looked like a guy said it so indifferently that it almost sounded reasonable, but if this thing new about drachma gods and monster so this had to be a mystical trap. That didn't quite make sense why would a trap risk victim being able to set it off if they didn't have any money, could this just be a mystical business, that also seemed unlikely.

Zoe gave the teller five Drachma as Percy considered the situation and got five bus tickets back it was a short walk to the bus and Zoe explained, "I don't know what this is, so everybody is to be on guard, is this an ambush, trap, helpful coincidence, be prepared for anything."

Nothing happened they got their tickets stamped and the soon enough the bus was off, going along backwater towns and cities alike, eventually, the night began at fall and hours of peace had the group taking the opportunity to sleep. Percy was the first one to fall asleep once he decided that his mystical senses were telling him that his bus was almost identical to Apollo' sun chariot, the guy must care about his sister if he was going to this much effort.

X

Thalia shivered in the bus seat she could not quite remember the specifics of the dream with the voice from the terrible hole but the discussing sliminess that was all over the cave, she could still feel on her, she knew it was not on her, but she could still feel it.

It was dark outside but there was the growing light from the sun below the horizon, but the bus was still trundling forward. But she shook Percy awake he didn't fully understand what was wrong, but he gave her the comforting embrace that she needed. They stayed like that until the rest of the group awoke Zoe and Phebe showing and voicing their disused with the presumed activities to end up in the others embrace.

It was right on daybreak when 'THE SUN WEST BUS' finally pulled over and everybody pilled out snowy mountains dotted with pine trees, the sun rising red between two peaks. As lovely as the view was it didn't make up for the morning chill that had everything in a thin layer of frost.

The bus was gone before anyone had a chance to even turn around after getting off, Thalia squeezed Percy's arm she was not in the mood for a comment about the bus, she got one anyway from Bianca, "I hope no one was left behind." Thalia thought it was too bad that Bianca had not been left behind.

Eventually, the group made it into the New Mexico country town Zoe got a coffee from a coffee shop Thalia found some pastries for breakfast from the same place and everybody wondered a bit aimlessly. Until the attack.

X

Phoebe put everything from her mind as she followed the small gain tracks she could see, understanding the movements of smaller animals could help develop your knowledge of the moment of large game or monsters. But she could not stop thinking about how satisfying it would be to rain vengeance down upon that boy, Zoe had forced her to stay her hand, unable to attack the impetuous boy Phoebe could do nothing but stew in her hate and anger exacerbated by the fact he couldn't track with so much hate and rage stopping her from completing her responsibility.

While following tracks while not concentrating on her surroundings walked Phoebe right into an ambush, the shrubbery rustled, and two grey zombies walked out clad in state police uniforms the one on the right pulled up a gun and the one on the left active a cell phone. After the shock of this new enemy, Phoebe screamed a battle cry as he took a split second to, get in a firing stance, grab and potion the bow for firing, pull, aim and fire an arrow knocking the gun into the forest. The most dangerous weapon removed from the situation she removed the communication device from the left zombie.

The right one was on her in a moment after that she had to drop the bow to grab the hunting knifes sheathed at each wrist ducking under the attack with a nightstick it was a short fight, she caught the overextended arm between her two knives devesting the Zombie of its final weapon a slash through the upper arm the right neck and through its neck the parts scattered across the ground, this didn't help.

The left Zombie had its gun out shot her in the stomach she was gasping for air as she collapsed on the ground feeling for the wound there wasn't one the lion skin must have saved her, but she was having difficulty getting her breath. That was ok because for the Zombie could readjust to her prone form than arrow knocked the gun out of the second Zombies hand, it was not enough the first one had reattacked its limbs and was going for its head.

There were gunshots in the distance and Zoe helping her up, "come on, we need to get back to the group." It was a mad dash flowing Zoe back to the centre of the town, every few steps stopping so Zoe could fire some arrow at the Zombies, every stop gave a chance to take a breath and each sprint she was forced to realise it, this pattern had her breathing right by the time the where with the rest of the group, the three had fared better.

The group had taken down two Phoebe could see their quarter bodies being held apart by Percy's water constructs, but the Zombies just got reinforcements there was a state trooper car and four more were getting out from it. It became an even more dire situation as the two from the Forrest at the edge of town also gathered, the six intact Zombies made a loss perimeter around the group of five heroes.

Zoe took control with a plan she must have been making during the standoff, "Percy drops the parts and use the water to gives us time, Bianca takes care of the one in front of the car, Phoebe helps her." This plan was rattled off so quick Phoebe didn't realize she was backing up Bianca without her bow just as the new recruit was put on the back foot, together they had the zombie beheaded and the head a few minutes walking distances away just as the car engine revved. "Get in Zoe ordered."

X

Bianca breathed a sigh of relief as they finally left, they did leave in a car they stole from monsters that had attacked them Bianca's heart was pounding the fight with the lion was better she didn't have to get close but with this undead, she was within arm's reach when it attacked.

She stayed silent in her corner of the back seat when a growling match ensued between Thalia and Phoebe, it was stupid not both of their parts. A little way into the drive but plenty of time for Bianca to calm down, Zoe inquired about Phoebe bow, the second dejectedly explained that when she was ambushed she lost it. Thalia offers up a spare and then 'asked' Percy to get it seeing the four-foot compact bow come out a bag that was literally too small to fit, Bianca had been told that their bags had extra space inside them but had not given it much thought. Seeing this was one of the best things to do with mythical existence, it reinvigorated the wonder of it all, being separated from her brother even if it was relaxing to have a break, being through into a life-threatening quest had dulled that initial wonder of the mystical world. Seeing the simple but incredible ack of having something bigger in the inside had given this mystical world back some shine, and Bianca was on the edge of her seat wondering if her bag was the same.

Then they had an argument, it was a spiral all from a look that could have been disgust or shock, Thalia decided that it was disgust and called Phoebe out on it, Phoebe was in no way going to apologise for an imagined slight and told Thalia that. They had been butting heads over everything more or less and this was the explosion they insulted each other's character, skills, decisions, cloths, allegiance, any minor difference was insulted and belittled. Percy has her the bow and Bianca agreed she could give it to Phoebe once she was in a better mood and no longer around Thalia.

Their argument continued, and the mountains turned to plains, at one-point Thalia began to kiss Percy to prove some point or another, Phoebe demanded to drive at one point and rejected by Zoe on the basis that she was being emotional. The two finally bickerers ran out of steam and as plains turned to the desert they both went to light dozes having nothing more to insult over without rehashing any insults and as they had both been called unoriginal and uninspired, they were loathed to repeat any prior insult.

X

Percy was having a good car ride with Thalia and Phoebes bickering out of the way, even if when it is happening Percy feels bad that Thalia wants to let him help. This let him try and after a lot of careful poking prodding and asking questions that also got Bianca interested, Zoe was finally willing to talk about her past, they ate packaged food from the ever-useful bag that Percy had almost forgotten about and had some water because he had nothing else it had been a year since he had refilled it properly. Percy was interested in how a mortal mind dealt with vast expanses of time like 3000 years Zoe explained that it is the same as any other memories, the more important or the more often your reminded of it the deeper it sticks she doesn't have any coherent time apart from the last century or so, the further back the more muddled and forgotten they are she doesn't have the memories of pledging herself to Artemis, but Arms did share her view of it if Zoe askes.

Percy thought that would be horribly depressing to know that you have lived for 3000 years but only remember a 30th of it, it was not too soon after they pulled over for some food and to refuel in a boarded-up desert town neither came to fruition. The place turned out to be bad because the car stopped and never started again there was not even a boarded-up mechanic in this place. No one seemed to wonder how this place had scrap yard and not a mechanic.

It was getting late so sleep was a thing the group decided we should do, more like Zoe decided the other hunters fell in line and Thalia or Percy didn't care enough to argue. The hunters produced five sleeping bags and foam mattresses out of their backpacks, Zoe one for herself and one for Thalia, Bianca one for herself and one for Percy, Phoebe just one for herself, Percy was intrigued how they did it, was it the same enchanted hold more stuff or something different what captivated his interest was the bags ability to not be there if it was not needed. This turned it to an argument when Phoebe forced Bianca to put the second one way, 'boys can't use hunters' equipment', Thalia was incensed and probably at risk of giving a rant that would spit up the quest dooming it.

So, Percy acted and dragged Thalia way with a cheery, "see you tomorrow morning." It was shocking contrast to the growing girl next to him. Percy let go of Thalia when there where a good distance away, idle chit chat would not carry across to the other camp, but a call for help would. Percy had a water bed out his bag and began to kiss Thalia before they could have a conversation about Percy overstepping his bounds taking her from a fight. The water bed was just filled up in time for the couple to fall on to it, that night Thalia's screams of pleasure were more angering to Phoebe than any argument. This didn't last more than fifteen minutes, a sleek white limousine came out of nowhere, make less sound that the two love birds, the hunter where almost run over.

X

Aphrodite took a moment to compose her self what they had intruded upon was both an incredible example of love but tainted with anger from the daughter of Zeus and something even more insidious that she could not quite decipher as Ares showed the demigods who were the most powerful one around. Aphrodite did enjoy these displays knowing that he was showing off for her but too much to often and it can get tiresome, this time it was the perfect amount. Tensions did flare but Ares got the Jackson child to split up from the group.

The aroma of sex wafting of the boy had Aphrodite uneasy for the second time she thought her compose would have been a fine but insidious contaminant that was still elusive even in such high concentration. The contaminant almost vanished, its concentration becomes almost distinguishable from the rest of the demigod. This had distracted her from her favourite moment to meeting a new person the one where they are speechless from her beauty.

Aphrodite found herself on the back foot when the demigod asked, "so what do you what, I'm kind of stuck on a quest right now so it's not the best time. Of course, I can help." She was impressed how with how clear the unsaid 'for the right price was' but was also slightly insulted what would she need a demigod for and if she did how dare he demand something for it, he should be honoured to be asked.

Aphrodite could happily answer, "just to talk." It was even true if she stirred up some trouble by doing so, that would just be something that would happen, though the energy that had been lacking appeared suddenly, she was pinned under a very intent gaze, "so I have been wondering ever since going to Italy, what is the relationship between love and hate are they opposites or more like two sides of a coin and both expressions of passion."

This time Aphrodite was insulted, love is literally the greatest it is pure, happiness, hope, inspiration and every other positive emotion, it makes those who feel it better in every way, nothing can compare, wars have been fought and civilizations have been built because of love, it is life and to bring it down as an equal of hate that is true blasphemy. So, she took revenge, the adoration that his boy felt for that girl she took it and twisted it, not too much just a bit, some possessiveness not too much, just enough. So that she would feel stifled slowly killing the relationship, leaving the child an angry vengeful mess when she finally breaks it off.

But it didn't take, impossibly nothing ever to do with love could resist Aphrodite power, she could turn the purest and most innocent love, to apathy with a thought. but this elusive contaminant that throws off her manipulation like one would rub the sleep out of there eyes. She tried a few other things changing the recipient if the child's affections, she made the adoration be replaced with loathing and she is removing the child's affection completely none of it worked, all removed by the fucking elusive contaminant that she could still not figure out.

It was as Aphrodite was considering taking the punishment physical, would a gelding teach this boy his place, she eyed the child sizing him up such overt acting would get Poseidon's attention. The child was also looking a bit dazed from all of the emotional whamming that he had just put him through. Mabey she could let him off if it was not a purposeful insult but there was no way he was getting a warning about not touching stuff in her husband's junk piles. Taking a peek in the mind of Percy it was meant as an insult at all, but fucking Shakespeare presenting love had hate as equals, that really convinced her that he was being respectful was that he didn't call her, 'goddess of the chemical reaction that compels animals to breed.' Knowing that he even thought to call her that did have her unhappy, so she dropped him and the rest of the quest in her husband's junk piles.

x

Percy only fell to one knee as the other members of the group voided their stomachs all over the piles of junk, Percy was glad for his few days shadow travelling or he would have lost his lunch too as the others got their bearings, Percy examined the area. He found the answer to his question of how a scrap yard could operate in a boarded-up town, it is a mystical scarp yard, everything had its own of effects and ability's, there was so much stuff that it just blended to together, there was a knife that could never get blunt a jack in the box, but the jack that would never stop being wound.

After the others collected them self's it was Bianca that opened up with the questions, "What did she want with you?" Percy didn't see anything that he would need to keep secret, "she said she wanted to talk then transported me here." Percy looked to Zoe, "is there anything you have heard of about a junkyard full of magic items." She frowned but it was Phoebe how answered "Hephaestus had a place that it is said he leaves his broken work, this could be it."

"So, are you going to sleep or is it time to do some walking, assuming that someone is able to astronavigation?" Percy realised that the group couldn't understand what he means, "astronavigation, knowing where you are by looking at the stars and the north, south, east, west."

"West is this way and no we are not spending any more time than necessary in this place." Zoe's answer was succinct and straight to the point so, then were followed her lead, Percy fell a bit behind every step there was ten new things to look at and puzzle over, a pool ball, a lock, clothes peg, dice the size of his head, a car Thalia was eyeing up, a clock with all the gears exposed, some shells, an umbrella and everything having it's very one mystical effect.

At one-point Bianca found a bow and arrow that could transform into a hairpin, Phoebe found a great sword that was weightless and we all got a warning from Zoe, 'if it is here, it is for a reason, it could be defective, cursed or something worse be very careful.' Bianca took the warning to heart releasing the hairpin, Phoebe took it to heart as well bring the sword into a guard position probably not even considering that the sword is junk that she should be conceded over. Percy would have ignored the warning, but Thalia told him don't touch or take anything, so he just followed her as they continued traversed the metallic mountains.

It was at here and there something interesting was found not more than two steps and something else would get your attention Percy could not help but wonder if this place was cursed to trap people with so much stuff they can't make them self's leave but no matter how much he searched there no mystical feeling compelling him to stay, or at least that he could find. The group walked in silence apart from the squeak and whine of metal as they trample there way through the junkyard.

It was not till they split up after seeing the road did thing go wrong, Percy took the opportunity to relieve his bladder, Phoebe noticed that he had slipped away and followed the member of the group that she had become sure of was up to no good. It was so very unfortunate that in Phoebe's retreat after understanding the situation she stumbled crating a clanging sound from the scrap she caught herself on with the sword, that she was going to leave at the edge of the scrap yard, Percy wheeled around in surprise. Peeing on Phoebe even by accident was an unforgiven action, after a day of arguing with Thalia, being forced to listen to the two campers rutting, and not have got a chance for any proper sleep a few hours in a care don't count, anyone should not be surprised that the sword went in to Percy they should actually be proud of the restart shown by only putting the blade through his shoulder.

X

Thalia was not happy, she was past angry she was enraged that someone dear touch her Percy seeing her man running towards the road and out of the yard in pain with a sword through his shoulder, had her after him he would need her help to heal and she would need a name to take revenge on, she did have a prediction.

Her plans of revenge a hunter in stocks electrocuted almost to death twice a day having to live off the rotten scraps thrown to them until they succumb to the elements, it would be a good fate for Zoe failing to keep her subordinate in line.

Percy got to the road before Thalia caught up and make him lie down she was looking his bag for the first aid supply's when she was distracted by a sound like a thousand trash compactors crushing metal. Behind her, the scrap mountain was rising up a bronze giant in full Greek battle Armor. It was outrageously tall, a skyscraper onto itself. He gleamed in the moonlight, looked down at them, and his face was deformed, the left side was partially melted off. Its joints creaked with rust.

The hunters had engaged while she continued staring at the metal behemoth, she was very tempted to find the first aid kit, pull the sword out, patch up the wound and leave the hunters to die but that would be to nice for them so she let the rage suffuses her as she began on her way back to the battle each step lot a bit of a crackle, a cloud started to appear out of nowhere covering up the moonlit sky with inky darkness, one step she had her mace out, two-step she had it extended towards the giant, three-step she let all her anger in to the sky and in return she got lightning, the lightning struck down to her then up her spear arching across the field to the robot.

When the lightning it the robot mixed up and stopped moving one leg in the air, the other exerted with a sword as large an as a bus, this would have been fine if it was just a lightning strike the systems would have reloaded and been swinging at the intruders in no time. The lightning didn't stop, as Thalia focused on the robot that needs to die and her anger over Percy being stabbed, and ever so slowly it began to tilt with a strong wind, outbalanced by Its sword the was earth rumbling BOOM as it fell to the ground. The lightning didn't stop, Thalia kept pushing it and pushing it, the robot started to glow, her arm began to feel heavy, the chest of the giant collapsed in to itself with a ringing splash, she could no longer feel her legs, was she kneeling, the head collapsed like the chest and blessed darkness came for her as she fell to the ground.

X

Zoe had honestly thought that she had seen it all, but the destruction of Talos was something new, she had always heard that children of the big three are powerful, she had seen a daughter of Poseidon cause a tsunami or the daughter of hades that cause sinkholes with a larger diameter than she could shoot an arrow. That is what she thought the gods had meant when they said children of the big three are powerful, personally, that is what she thought that they meant when they said it.

Did any of them think that it meant being able to slag a multi-ton giant robot made by Hades she thought not? That is something she would expect Artemis to do when she wants to make a scene, looking at the heaping mass of melted and warped metal it was an uncomfortable feeling to think that a half mortal has the ability to channel so much power.

"what now?" Phoebe question was hoarse with shock, Zoe didn't think that her voice was much better when she answered, "go find Bianca, she was on the other side." Phoebe when off without another word. Zoe made her way to check on Thalia, the girl had used a lot of power was would need some time to recover, she was asleep on some charred grass, it was a fairly easy track to the male of the team.

He still had he sword sticking out of his right shoulder, what did he do to Phoebe for her to react like this, the sword came out with a discussing squelch sound, Percy still stayed unconscious from blood loss that was picking up no with no sword blocking the wound, it was a quick bandaging with a bandage from her backpack. She lay the two campers next to each other and a bit of the road.

The search of Bianca was fruitless, if she was two close she could have been burnt alive and crushed, or she had run away. Phoebe would not stop curing the girl as a runaway even as they yelled into a crevasse and moved pieces that had fallen off, Zoe hoped the girl had run away better a coward then dead. But she had brought the girl along and she was no coward. When dawn broke and Percy came over wanting an explanation it was time it calls quits. Bianca was lost, and they were in a desert.


	7. Book 3 Part 3 and Alternate ending

Percy sat wake and healed by water from his backpack, in the back of a pick-up truck, it was left by the side of the road were they fought Talos. The truck had Thalia laid out across the back seats, with Percy. The hunters at in the front sans the missing Bianca, Phoebe was resting into stabbing Percy was hard, work and gods know how she manages it Zoe driving competently while being distracted in her own head, there was nothing around for miles so it didn't much matter if they when off-road, but the lake for a consequence's for failure didn't take from the impressiveness of the success.

Percy gently stroke Thalia hair, it was soft and he found a good way to ground himself as he examined Thalia's mystical presence. He was looking for reassurance of her healthiness, this did require him having to remove the amulet from Herms that gave him control over his own presence. It was a very interesting experience have his mystical presence so close to her without the pendent went he could see how they were entangled.

For example Phoebe's presences was a compact layer around her with her extrusions being thin and short but there was a lot of them, Percy had less by number instead of thousand of needle looking extrusions Percy would say that is where very slimier to Thalia's he had less than a hundred longer and thicker extrusions they are highly remanent of octopus arms, and whenever one of these failing appendages come in to contact with Thalia's they wrap around each other before disintegrating and being reabsorbed into the individual's presence.

The link Percy shared with Thalia was permanent appearing it was a tree trunk sized, going from Thalia to Percy with Percy's presence appendages raping around it as though they are vines, it looked cool if nothing else. Personally, Percy was wondering if is this because of their relationship, just long-term proximity or something else, he doubts idea there was no connection between Zoe and Thalia.

As Percy sat there trying not too agonising over the nothingness he was able to do for Thalia, time and desert scenery passed in a bluer, Percy taking relief from the slowly refilling energy and the physical pulse he could feel on Thalia's wrist, Thalia was alive and ok, even if she was not currently concise.

The truck stopped, it had run out of gas and they were in the middle of nowhere next to some valley, Percy could feel the trickle of water that was down there and found that not much could be done, it was a stream that didn't even come up to the ankle. Some water was better then nothing Percy used the water to carry the still unconcise Thalia, while Zoe lead at the front she chose to take them downstream, and Phoebe brought up the rear she was extra vigilant.

Phoebe did stop her endless comments on Percy's gender, and Percy to the silence as an apology more genuine than "sorry". The beside silence could not last forever and it was broke by phoebe, "so, where does this canyon lead?"

"I don't know, where this Valley is going to lead, Phoebe. I do know that civilization lives along the water so we follow this and we will find people sooner or later." Zoe put an unnecessarily high amount of emphasis on the world 'Valley'.

"No Zoe I would not have asked the question if I knew there this canyon is leading as," again with a large emphasis this time on the word canyon. "I do know if you had not got a car without enough fuel we would find civilization a lot sooner." That could be a reasonable idea Percy was going to add some gas to his bag an air-tight canister to keep those petrol fumes contained it could also work as a fire propellent. This ridicules argument turned it to a "no, this is a canyon", "no, it is a valley". "Look as the sedimentary layering, it is clearly a canyon."

Phoebe turned out to be correct after a sizable distance they came across an abandoned(closed) canon rental shop called 'the Great Canyon cannon's'. A little breaking entering and larceny to the tune of 278 for a four-person cannon, they were out and at an area of the canyon where he river deepened. Percy

It was not long till they were at the dam hoover dam, Thalia was not yet recovered so it was a whispered questing Percy asked to the other boat, using his powers to bring it closer. "So where to now, getting another car, what's the plan."

"west, yes and Mount Tamalpais." She was obviously in the mood for talking now it was time to figure out where he had heard mount Tamalpais before, probably Mr D but that does not narrow it down much.

Percy felt how the water changed long before he was the dam when he recognised this landmark it was hoover dam and making him nostalgic for the Lotus Casino in Las Vegas, there was the time chicanery the fount of knowledge that managed the place. The year between his first and second quest, he had vested this place then, it was before he had met Thalia and it was exactly the same as he remembered it.

Percy was getting fed up with this loneliness Thalia still recovering, the currently unhappy Zoe and the ever-argumentative Phoebe, were pulled away by the current. Percy concludes that he would have to try to heal Thalia with the water how he heals himself, the mystical connection they share should make it possible but it is an unknown and he didn't have Thalia's approval to experiment on her. Percy found it rather easy to push way the usually all-consuming need for an answer when in a situation such as this like 'could it work, how effective is it, what are the side effects.' Thalia would tell him not right now and that would be that, but she was not able to tell him and it was not just a need for answers.

There is the general concern of entering a population centre after being in the wilderness, Percy could see a pattern and this one has a dangerous encounter happening at the dam. Not having a conscious and awake Thaila would be less dangerous for her than any side effects of healing her. Percy used the currents to the beach the other cannon, Zoe and Phoebe could get to the dam by walking the last mile and leave Percy to concentrate on this new task.

X

Thalia awoke to the sounds of fighting, ok that might be a bit misleading it was the sounds of a fight between Percy and this sea cow, and she was not joking it was literally an underwater cow. She could tell Percy was unhappy with this distraction as most of his focus was on the water he had surrounded her in and was doing something with it.

She was feeling better with each second that passed and by the time the sea cow left she was feeling brilliant, and with the cow departure like she had taken a step backwards somehow, Percy explained that he had used a modified healing technique, the one she had told him not to use on himself, that could possibly explain the backwards sensation. He also told her about how they had lost Bianca and apparently, that she had turned the big old robot to slag, something that should have taken at least ten minutes if it was normal lighting that she was calling down, so her lightning was supercharged godly lighting.

Now she was awake and up Percy brought the Cannon to the river back where there is a path up to the dam, there took some time to find the hunter but when Thalia spotted then on the terraced area the girls were ok. From the argument, Percy described Thalia expected to find a pubic scene or bleeding faces, not the same as before she was knocked out.

Thaila joined the placid pare and Percy went to go get them some food, "so what's the plan? still going west?".

"West is are direction, there is a dam helicopter that will get back within the hour, Phoebe will fly us the rest of the way." Phoebes posture screamed unwillingly but overruled by a high authority, in this case, Zoe. At the best of times Thaila was not going to fly with an unwilling pilot, that was a straight-up, "No, we can't fly isn't there another way could we just continue down this river till we get to the ocean?"

"I don't know do you have a map dose the Colorado river even connect to the sea, Phoebe get a map." A map and silent phoebe returned after a little perusing the problem was clear the river wet in the wrong direction, Thalia needed a good reason to get out of here before the helicopter came back.

Percy appeared not a second later and without the food, he should have, "we've got a problem, so do you understand the complicated internal mechanics of a dam?" Thaila shook her head with Zoe. "So, simply water makes a wheel spin and the spinning wheel make electricity. So there is a main blockage in the main wheel an for some reason there is no evacuation."

"Why didn't the nets stop whatever the blockage is?" Phoebe asked apparently benign versed in the way dam power plants work. "the thing is." Percy explained, "there is a good chance that it is are canons because a took them past the nets without even considering this."

Thaila still didn't understand, "so what is the big deal if they haven't begun to evacuate then it's not that bad?"

"No, it is very bad, the turbine doesn't spin water doesn't get past, best case the water overflows the countryside and dam flood, worst case the dam cant hold the pressure and I will have destroyed a national landmark." Thaila wanted to comment on how that didn't quite sound accurate, but it was no her area of expertise and if they had to leave the dam now then there would be no helicopter.

"Ok, so what are we going to do to get their people to leave if the dam people aren't? telling mortals of danger usually doesn't work out well but we can't leave their people to fend for themselves." Zoe started strategizing.

"We could always just force the people to move, Percy could get out his blade and stab it through the chest of the lady with the kids, then scream like a crazy person, that will get this crowd moving. Or we could tell them that there is a vermin infestation and they mush leave for health reasons." Thalia didn't like the first but she could get behind the second but before she could verbalize her thoughts Percy clicked his fingers for the mist tick she could not see the mortals react and then Percy said "fire!" it seems that he used the must carry the sound because people well out of hearing range joined in on the mad stampede towards the car lot.

It was less than a minute by Thalia's estimation before the area was clear and the group stated there own journey towards the car lot. It was as they stepped in the parking lot that Thalia heard an odd clicking sound. Then everything happened in a rush the main thing was the steel Pole with the parking lot light on the end tipped over Thalia tried to jump out of the way, but it still caught her leg.

It was the way that the guards walked when they got out of the car that had clued her in on the fact that they were the grey zombies, of course, it was the same car that smashed into the pole. The goddam zombies were back, Thalia thought that the split them up tactic had worked well but it seems not, she was really beginning to hate the persistent buggers, always getting in her way. No, she had trapped by this light pole, she tried slipping her leg from underneath but there was so much pain when she made the slightest of moments, she tried to lift the column but could not get the leverage to lift the hunk of metal either.

She was stuck and useless, but it seemed there was a teamwork montage when she was unconscious, the three were brilliant, Percy started the split them into pieces and mix them up tactic but was stopped by Zoe. Apparently getting inspiration from Thaila's position Zoe had Percy arrange the Grey zombie with hands around the pole, before skewering the Zombie to the Pole while Phoebe distracted given the rest a run-around one by one the Number of free Zombies lessoned and the number of captured increased.

X

What Zoe was doing was gruesome work, the blood and viscera rather unusual from monsters was getting everywhere. She didn't particularly like improvising but the light poles and arrows were working quite well, she even got it to a bit of a rhythm, grab arrow shove thought hands, grab arrow shove thought right foot, grab arrow shove thought left food. Sometimes she needed to use her knife to hammer the arrows into the pole and there was the point where she needed to use some arrows from Phoebe to finish off catching the last few.

By the time she was finished Zoe felt like it was one of those mornings when you had to sleep in an animal and now couldn't get the feeling of disgustingness off you even after your third shower, but she hadn't even had one. "everyone ok?", she asked the group at large to the backdrop of having all the grey zombies clicking stuck to the poles.

"Yes," Phoebe answered before muttering, "I'm glad I didn't have your job." She gave Phoebe a bear hug in return and got a face of disgust. Braking that moment of levity was Thaila, "I'm not, there's a light on my leg." Percy interjected, "Correcting there is a light in your leg." There was a horrifying plop as Percy used his water to lift up the light and a crossbeam through the pole had made a hole in her tibia. The grime Zoe felt so discussed over was now a minor concern, how were they going to get to the mountain with such an injured party member, and was she going to be ok if they had to leave her behind.

To Zoe's confusion, Thalia ordered: "Percy heal this." That was ridiculous one Percy was no child of Apollo and even they would take weeks to heal such an injury, and then she was proven wrong as the water that had been used to move the lamp post coalesced around Thaila's leg wound and reach to Percy's had. Was the flesh knitted together and Percy had his eye unfocused with deep concentration. Thaila tried to explain probably due to hers and Phoebes shocked faces, "Percy is just modifying a self-healing technique, he was a child of the sea so the sea can heal him or some such."

It sounded like a half-remembered answer to the same question, but it was not the main point where did a demigod get such a deep understating of human philology to be able to heal, theoretically with the correct circumstances Percy with his amounts of power could heal himself but those circumstances should include years of medical training. This being river water was a minor complaint compared to the fact a self-healing technique for a son of the sea was able to work on a daughter of the sky. That is as ridicules as saying that there is a sunk city of Atlantis, Plato makes it up and then Poseidon built it because he thought it was a cool idea. Percy should not be able to heal and Atlantis's sinking is a story about the hubris of thinking you're better than the gods. Maybe Apollo was playing a trick or something by the time she was done repressing her shock Thalia was up and already breaking into a car, this one was a big truck thing.

They make a quick pace towards the San Francisco and after what was a four-hour car trip they ended up at the now poplar pier, Zoe was glad she spent the ride fletching her self new arrows she could see the mortal security guards were that the blasted manticore's.

X

Percy was ready for a prober smackdown he had correctly predicted the appearance of the zombies even if it was not superficially that monster, and they still got the drop on him while he was too focused with keeping the mist illusion of the fire happening, people where smelling smoke felling the temperature rise and seeing flickers of orange from around corners. Thaila got maimed and he exhausted himself using the water to fight, hold Zombies in place and heal Thalia, holding Zombies by far the worst for some reason without he being cut up it was a lot more difficult to use them.

And now a proper car nap later Percy was being dragged out to catch a hobo, he might have still been a little tired but it was little effort to garb him with a spout of water and slam him it to the beach like a ragdoll. Nereus looked unimpressed, "you think this count's as a capture?" he asked mockingly and snickered right up until Zoe shot an arrow through his shoulder, that was steel she was going no hold bars.

"what the fuck? Your demigod weapons should be useless against me, oh I get it." The last bit was said like an inside joke Percy was going to assume that having all the knowledge ever was probably messing with this guy's perspective. "I need to know about the monster that my mistress was hunting. Mr I know all I assume you could tell where the next arrow is going if you don't answer now." The old man's eyes went wide before he smiled.

"that's so easy an Ophiotaurus. Well, I'm off one capture one deal." Then he turned in to a tiny crab and started to scuttle away but Percy was having none of that here was all the answers to his endless supplies of mystical questions he didn't care it felt like he was cheating not using reason and logic to puzzle out the answers. Answers, where answers and that's what he needed, treating the crab-like he was still the size of the old man, meant the crab was slamming towards the ground from more than a thousand times its own height the old man was back and he was mad.

"I fucking told you this doesn't count as a capture." Nereus seemed actual getting some of the attention of the beachgoers, Percy just picked up the arrow left behind after the last transformation stabbing it through the hole still in the shoulder blade. "now how does the mist specify relate to mystical power potential." Instead of answering the old man the sea gave the same giggle as before.

"Percy group up." Thalia's request was clear over the giggling Percy turn around to see they were facing Thorn and some cronies, Percy stepped to Thaila's flank and the quickly checked Nereus was gone, shit. But he could come back after the quest he might even be able to get Nereus to cheer up if he asked about 'the speed of a swallow.' Mortals involved mystical shenanigans usually loved Monty python references, even immortal one he had an entire casino of people that proved his point.

"This is just pairrr-fect," the manticore gloated. Percy had obviously missed something why was the sea cow with the snake tail here, and Thorn looked like he was not having a good time wearing a ratty black trench coat over his school uniform, which was torn and stained. His hair had grown spiky and greasy, with stubble, he didn't look much better than the homeless.

"Long ago, the gods banished me to Persia," the manticore Started, "I was forced to scrounge for food on the edges blad blad blad." Percy's head might have added that last bit he didn't much care for backstories so he began to saturate the beach with more water than what was already there.

"We beat you before," Zoe declared, o god the sit talking Percy had the ground saturated and now he was just planning the theatrics, this manticore was truly an idiot facing a child of the sea next to the sea. Last time he had a two-hundred-meter-high cliff.

"Ha! You could barely fight me with a goddess on your side. And, alas… that goddess is preoccupied at the moment. There will be no help for you now." That was acutely a rather good burn.

Zoe notched an arrow and aimed it straight at the manticore's head. The guards on either side of us raised their guns.

Thorn smiled. "Zoe Nightshade. Put away your bow. It would be a shame to kill you before you witnessed Thalia's great victory." Percy was always up for Thalia to have a great victory.

"What are you talking about?" Thalia growled. She had her shield and spear ready. That was probably a good idea he activated his own close-quarters fight stuff. Sword and shield up even though it was just a toking gesture with the water-saturated through the battlefield.

"Surely it is clear?" the manticore asked before then explaining himself anyway. "This is your moment. This is why Lord Kronos brought you back to life. You will sacrifice the Ophiotaurus. You will bring its entrails to the sacred fire on the mountain. You will gain unlimited power. And for your sixteenth birthday, you will overthrow Olympus." Killing the cow would give you unlimited power that was some bull shit Zeus would have sacrificed it himself. No one spoke, it made terrible sense.

On the other had Thalia was only two days away from turning sixteen. She was a child of the Big Three. And here was a choice, a choice that could mean the end of the gods. It was just like the prophecy said. Percy was sure that he would follow her anywhere but he would want some sleep if doomsday was happening right now.

"You know it is the right choice," the manticore told her. "Your friend Luke recognized it. You shall be reunited with him. You shall rule this world together under the auspices of the Titans. Your father abandoned you, Thalia. He cares nothing for you. And now you shall gain power over him. Crush the Olympians underfoot, as they deserve. Call the beast! It will come to you. Use your spear." Ah, Percy knew better than that if Thalia chose this path there would be no titans to rule under the Auspice of, but here it was what Luke would do did make it a somewhat distaste option the shit had made so much extra work for him.

She looked at Percy the same way she had the morning she woke up on Half-Blood Hill, dazed and uncertain. So he just smiled as reassuring of a smile I could she would make the right decision. Percy knew that he would prefer, there was one option that would leave him not having to fight monsters but there was the possibility that Thalia could not hand the death and destruction of that path. And fighting a few monsters now and aging is a small price for her mental health.

"Your father helped you," Phoebe chipped it. "He turned you into a tree, a tree that kept your friends safe, a tree that the titans poisoned on the off chance that it would be healed in such a way to bring you back."

Her hand tightened on the shaft of her spear, knuckle going white. Then there was a twang and click. Thorn fell backwards arrow through his head and the mortal guards became dazed, the two hunters did some excellent teamwork there. This time Zoe clicked taking mist control from Phoebe and the Guards shot each, half were dead and the others were bleeding out. There was also chaos on the beach, people shooting each other was something to freak out about and the people of San Francisco were doing good job of it.

"So now that is done that where to next?" Percy asked Zoe pointed across the bay, past the Golden Gate. In the distance, a single mountain rose up above the cloud layer. "The garden of my sisters," she said. "I must go home." So this was mount Tamalpais.

"We will never make it," Zoe said. "We cannot leave the Ophiotaurus." That was a pain lie we had become rather proficient with car theft during this quest, Percy was wondering what had Zoe stalling.

"Mooo," The cow dew attention to its self, or was it just a hunk of meat waiting to make someone all-powerful, Zoe did have a point it couldn't stay. So with a deft flick, Percy has the cow a prick with the point of his sword it disappeared.

"One down, one to go," Percy said to three relived faces, what did they think he was going to kill it or something. He did agree with Thorn that if Thaila chose to take it would be Thaila's great victory, and he would keep that option open until she had made a decision. "so what is the rush anyway don't we have all day?"

"No, the Hesperides are the nymphs of the sunset," Zoe answered. "We can only enter their garden as day changes tonight." 'Why Nereus you could tell me what sort of mystical tricky is going on here, no wait you can't because you're not here' Percy decided to keep this comment internal as Thalia suggested some plan for getting a car without stealing it.

X

Frederick was a reasonably relaxed guy, he liked is historical analyses but other than that he was his own calm when his life picked up in to a storm, the lovely lady you have been dating terns out to be a goddess and is leaving you with a child, sure he panicked but he also kept himself together. Ever since she ran way Annabeth always brought back that panic.

This time it was justified as four teens told his greave news Annabeth's life was in danger once again and this time it was not being told to him as an afterthought. He would help these kids any way he could if it would help to keep his daughter safe. They need a ride he could give them a ride and he would get back and pull out his special bullets.

Then he got a bit discarded if the German lines were a bit back like the girl with the tiara said it would mean that anything else could be wrong as well there was only one account for this battle if it was wrong about the position of the germen lines what else was it wrong about. It seemed that he didn't need to drive the kids himself that would give him time to get his special bullets into a very special weapon a Sopwith Camel.

X

Phoebe was not having a good time, Eucalyptus was a shit tree that should have stayed on that island in the mild nowhere.

"What's up with all the Eucalyptus?" Percy asked.

"Monsters they love chewing the leaves. Especially dragons." Zoe explained

"Dragons chew eucalyptus leaves?"

"Believe me," Zoe said, "if you had dragon breath, you would chew eucalyptus too."

That might explain Phoebe highly biased opinion Eucalyptus was synonymous with monsters.

There was silence all the way to Mount Tamalpais. The grey clouds swirled even thicker over the mountain, and we kept driving straight toward them. They were out of the forest now, into wide open spaces of cliffs and grass and rocks and fog. Then Percy noted " _Princess Andromeda_ , I was down by the sea." As though it didn't represent a monster army

"We will have company, then," Zoe said grimly. "Kronos's army."

Zoe must've sensed something was wrong because she slammed at the same time Thalia shouted, "Stop the car. NOW!" The yellow VW spun twice before coming to a stop at the edge of the cliff. "Out!" Phoebe jumped out following Thalia's suggestion. The next second: _BOOOM_!

Lightning flashed, and Father's Chase's Volkswagen erupted like canary-yellow grenade shrapnel flying everywhere she heard a sound like metal ram, and when she opened her eyes, they were surrounded by wreckage. Part of the VW's fender had impaled itself in the street. The smoking hood was spinning in circles.

The taste of smoke was in the air and looked Thalia murderous. " _One shall perish by a parent's hand"_ she muttered. "Curse him. He would destroy me? _Me_?" this was not good she had stopped the demigod with a fatal flaw of 'desiring power' by distracting and then killing the enemy offering the power this time the demigod would not hesitate if given the option right now. And trying to explain it is a trick would make it worse, not better she needed to the boy to do the arguing it the same situation came up.

Zoe lead the rest through the fog, and when the fog cleared, they were still on the side of the mountain, but the road was dirt, the grass was thicker, the sunset made a bloodred slash across the sea. The summit of the mountain was closer now, just like swirling with storm clouds and raw power. There was only one path to the top, directly in front of them. And it led through a lush meadow of shadows and flowers: the garden of twilight, just like Zoe had reminisced centuries ago.

If it hadn't been for the enormous dragon, the garden would've been the most beautiful place ever. The grass shimmered with silvery evening light, and the flowers were such brilliant colours they almost glowed in the dark. Stepping stones of polished black marble led around either side of a five-story-tall apple tree, every bough glittering with golden apples, enclosed by the dragon. The monster's body was as thick as a booster rocket, glinting with coppery scales. He had more heads than I could count as if a hundred deadly pythons had been fused together. He appeared to be asleep. The heads lay curled in a big spaghetti-like mound on the grass, all the eyes closed.

Four figures shimmered into existence, four young women who looked very much like Zoe. They all wore white Greek chitons. Their skin was like caramel. Silky black hair tumbled loose around their shoulders. Zoe's siblings, the Hesperides. They looked just like Zoe, but Phoebe was ready to put them in their place for what they had done.

"Sisters," Zoe said. "We do not see any sister," one of the girls said coldly. "We see two half-bloods and two Hunter. All of whom shall soon die." she would be the first to take a fist to the face.

"You've got it wrong." Phoebe stepped forward. "we're not the ones going to die." The girls ignored her probably knowing that it would get under his skin, studied the two campers.

"Perseus Jackson," one of them said. "Yes," mused another. "I do not see why he is a threat."

"Are you going to let us through? And isn't it always going from day time towards night time, that is the nature of linear time Afterall?" it seemed there wherein no answering mood, and even if the question was semantically correct only during sunset is when the day changes tonight.

The first Hesperid glanced behind her, toward the top of the mountain. "They fear thee. They are unhappy that _this_ one has not yet killed thee." She pointed at Thalia.

"Tempting sometimes," Thalia admitted. "But no, thanks. He's mine." And then did something the reminded her of why she loathed travelling with non-hunters, she kissed him.

"There are no friends here, daughter of Zeus," the girl said. "Only enemies. Go back."

"Not without Annabeth," Thalia said. "And Artemis," Phoebe added. She was an important one.

Zoe said. "We must approach the mountain."

"You know semantically will kill thee," the girl said. "You are no match for him."

"Artemis must be freed," Zoe insisted. "Let us pass."

The girl shook her head. "You have no rights here anymore. We have only to raise our voices and Ladon will wake." Phoebe was getting sick of this posturing she took a stride forward and decked the first Hesperid. The other three opened there mouths to yell but just stuttered and coughed as Percy filled each of there mouths with water.

Phoebe lined up her next hit for the second Hesperid, but the first yelled, "Ladon! Wake!" and all four yelped and scattered. The dragon stirred, glittering like a mountain of pennies. The dragon Ladon was writhing now, a hundred heads whipping around, tongues flickering and tasting the air. Zoe took a step forward, her arms raised.

"Zoe, don't," Thalia said. "You're not a Hesperid anymore. He'll kill you."

"Ladon is trained to protect the tree," Zoe said. "Skirt around the edges of the garden. Go up the mountain. As long as I am a bigger threat, he should ignore thee."

" _Should_ ," Phoebe said.

"It is the only way," she said. "Even the four of us together cannot fight him."

"Really?" Percy asked as he repeated what he did with the Hesperides but hundredfold, every head was surrounded by its own independent bobble of water, "I have found everything needs to breathe and if he can't leave the tree what is he going to do?"

Then every head breathed fire turning all the water to steam, Percy gave a nod of acknowledgement before taking control of the steam and making a vision barrier around Ladon. They looked to trust Zoe's judgment weather the screen would work she gestured for to go ahead. Thalia and Percy went left. Phoebe followed Zoe right. Ladon shifted forward, then back. Some of the mouths began hissing and Phoebe's nose was filled with putrid dragon breath. The Hesperides shimmered and turned into shadows, they might have gotten the way this even but one day phoebe would come back and kick some Hesperid ass.

We'd almost made it out of the meadow when something went wrong. The dragon's struck through the steam. Two thousand years of training kept her and her leader alive. She dodged one set of slashing fangs and tumbled under another, weaving through the dragon's heads as she ran up the mountain, just behind Percy and Thalia and just before Zoe.

The dragon didn't try to pursue. He hissed and stomped the ground, but he was well trained to guard that tree. He wasn't going to be lured off even by the tasty prospect of eating some heroes. Together they ran up the mountain as the Hesperides resumed their song in the shadows behind.

X

Atlas was not quite prepared when he heard his daughters voice just below the peak, hun they had made it now the question was could he get one of them to fight him. Quickly he suited up literally into a nice silk suit and by the time he was done, he could hear his daughter and a friend fussing over the captured goddess.

So he boomed, "Ah, how touching." That got their attention all turning to look at him and the useless demigod Cronus had sent him, the boy was freaking out about the potential of Altus failing after the new world was built he would have to punish the child for his lack of faith.

"Luke," the Zeus Spawn snarled. "Let her go." What the fuck there is a titan the right hand of Cronus and she just ignored him, given the useless demigod on his side did have a sword to the girl's throat, but still titan here.

Luke the little shit didn't even give a proper pot down your weapons, just passing the buck. "That is the General's decision, Thalia. But it's good to see you again."

Thalia, that's the name of the Zeus span well she spat at him. The General chuckled. "So much for old friends." Luke was more hated by her then he was how would that piss stain convince her of anything. Changing his focus "And you, Zoe. It's been a long time. How is my little traitor? I will enjoy killing you."

"Do not respond," Artemis groaned. "Do not challenge him."

"You're not going to hurt Zoe," the other hunter said. "I won't let you."

The General sneered. "You have no right to interfere, this is a family matter." The second hunter was volatility he could get her to attack and the rest of these demigods would come to her aid and he could dispatch them all leaving them alive so he would have enough leverage to force Thaila to kill the Ophiotaurus.

"Let Artemis go," Zoe demanded. To think that she was once his daughter now giving him more ammunition to bait an attack how good.

Atlas walked closer to the chained goddess. "Perhaps you'd like to take the sky for her, then? Be my guest."

Zoe opened her mouth to speak, but Artemis said, "No! Do not offer, Zoe! I forbid you." Can't attack him can't take the sky, Atlas smirked. He knelt next to Artemis and tried to touch her face, but the goddess bit at him, almost taking off his fingers. "Get away from her." Still not enough to get the second hunter to attack

"Hoo-hoo," Atlas chuckled. "You see, daughter? Lady Artemis likes her new job. I think I will have all the Olympians take turns carrying my burden, once Lord Kronos rules again, and this is the centre of our palace. It will teach those weaklings some humility." Would ignoring the second girl be more effective.

Following this tack Atlas noticed Thalia Annabeth's blond hair was now streaked with grey. "From holding the sky," Thalia muttered, "The weight should've killed her."

"I don't understand," The son of the sea asked. "Why can't Artemis just let go of the sky?"

What a stupid demigod Atlas laughed. "How little you understand, young one. This is the point where the sky and the earth first met, where Ouranos and Gaia first brought forth their mighty children, the Titans. The sky still yearns to embrace the earth. Someone must hold it at bay, or else it would crash down upon this place, instantly flattening the mountain and everything within a hundred leagues. Once you have taken the burden, there is no escape." Atlas smiled. "Unless someone else takes it from you."

"No, I understand but a hundred leagues that's got going to reach past California what 10 million, just drop it smack the coffin and the base of power for the titans, she immortal she will respawn. I'm just saying you have a lot of eggs here and something that can easily mash the basket." there was a moment of silence as all digested that "and look," Percy pointed to the cruise ship on the beach disgorging their monster army. "more eggs."

Atlas gulped the kid was right and looking at Artemis she knew it as well, then she faked a slip and instantly atlas reached for his burden, and pulled back just as quick, First thing he needed to do was get that coffin out of here century of work down the drain if it gets crushed.

And then Artemis must have gained the confidence because there was a horrid shrieking sound Atlas felt the weight of the sky crashing him before he slowly began the reformation in Tartarus.

A.N.

Thanks to everyone for your patience below you will find an Alternate ending this was the original one I planed and the one above came to me when I was wrighting, I could not decide for months I prefer the one above but the one below explains some longterm plot points. So do enjoy and get hyper for the new Harry Potter SI I have been working on.

And here we go.

Atlas gulped the kid was right and looking at Artemis she knew it as well, then she faked a slip and instantly atlas reached for his burden, and pulled back just as quick, First thing he needed to do was get that coffin out of here century of work down the drain if it gets crushed.

Looking at his daughter and the other hunter this would be a bit more difficult he could not harm these mortals before Cronos and the army had got to safely because Artemis would drop the sky if they were out of danger, and being dead is about as out of danger as you can get.

"Percy deals with the monsters and gets Annabeth, I will take care of Luke." It was the Daughter of Zeus that gave this instruction to the son of Poseidon for what atlas remembered of those gods the boy should have ignored the request and done his own thing. But the old law forbids him from interrupting. This was an impressive bit of coordination, even without the element of surprise the Daughter of Zeus was able to jab downwards and left so Luke was forced to block with his sword taking me from the leveraged position at the girl's neck.

The son of Poseidon stepped close and yanked her free before heading down to face the monstrous army that was now in retreat because the Coffing bearers had broken with the attack on Luke and where retreating.

This was the time that the other hunter and his daughter thought would be a good time to attack, him. He easily swatted aside there pitiful arrows and knives, not just pounding the two hunters into the goop was the hard part. Pulling his attacks was against his nature, so he decided to focus back on the fight between the Daughter of Zeus and the useless demigods Atlas discovered that he might be forced to cover the useless demigod's retreat, he had got implied through the leg, Cronus would not be happy if Atlas let him die.

Whist taking an arrow here and there while blocking the majority of them atlas thought that he could give convincing her to witch sides a person go. "Daughter of Zeus," block, block, take an arrow. "you still can join us." Block, take an arrow, block. "Call the Ophiotaurus. It will come to you." Block, block, block. He waved his hand, and a pool of water appeared: a pond ringed in black marble, big enough for the Ophiotaurus. He should have taken three arrows to his hand but it seems he had overplayed his hand, the hunters had figured out that he was biding his time and not really fighting them.

Together they switched with Artemis to semi mortal taking the burden together, but now he could fight for real, making a Goddess have to reform what an accomplishment. And it's not like she was going to get any back up the daughter of Zeus was, she was entranced by the pond now with an Ophiotaurus in it.

X

Percy was having great fighting this army. Dracaenae and Laestrygonians, monsters and half-bloods, hell hounds, harpies, and other things he couldn't even name they all fell to his sword or more-likely the hardened water flying around the battlefield he could not quite take out the coffin it repelled all his attacks and whenever he took out the monsters carrying it more would take their place to continue the retreat. The whole ship must've been emptied, before the retreat because there were hundreds, all struggling to get back on board if they all turned to fight he would be overwhelmed but he was not even struggling whilst supporting Annabeth.

And then everything became more panicked as, Annabeth's dad began to shoot blindly into the retreating monsters, three within sword reach. "Dad?" Annabeth asked hopefully saying the last thing she would ever say.

The Sopwith Camel swooped down again. A few giants threw javelins, and one flew straight between the wings of the plane, but the machine guns blazed. Percy realized with amazement that somehow Dr Chase must've gotten hold of celestial bronze to fashion his bullets. Right before one of them hit his Daughter.

Percy focused on the liquid of her body but it was little use, there was blood going everywhere he could pull the blood from inside the lung and stop more getting in, he could stop all the blood entirely but that would cause major problems no blood flow is essentially stopping someone's heart.

He needed to get out of this mad mans firing range before he got hit as well, Percy stopped the blood from leaving the body or going it to the lungs which meant she didn't start coughing up blood so musty looked fine but he could not actually stop her from internally bleeding out and by the time he was back up the summit, Annabeth had lost her life. He had failed Thalia, what was he meant to do, he should have retreated the second a bi-plane came in.

The top of the summit there was an immortal fight between Atlas and Artemis, Zoe and Phoebe where holding up the sky and Thalia was staring at the Ophiotaurus, which must have magically appeared in a magically appearing pool. It was with a heavy tone that Percy approached Thalia, "I have failed." He lay Annabeth body down now he was at the summit. Thalia brock from her eye way staring match with the Ophiotaurus and her eyes hardened.

"Percy set a fire." Percy gathered the few scrap pieces of wood and Thaila leveller her spear at the cow in the pond.

X

Zeus could remember the last time he had felt disappointed 1087 years ago a son of his that had great deads to his name discarded him by trying to help the Titaness Leto escape, today here and now looking upon his daughter in chains dead Ophiotaurus burning in Hestia's flames so no one could receive its power, disappointment is what he felt. Disappointment that she had fallen to the Titans.

Disappointment that he kept her alive all those years ago. Disappointment that he was the one to break the pack and his spawn was going to be the downfall of this Pantheon. After seeing her act of bravery outside the borders of the camp he invested too many exceptions in her and now he was disappointed.

" You have heard the evidence from my hunters, I have shared my memories of the incident." Artemis leads this session since she popped in with two of the most promising heroes, ex-heroes. "I call for harsh judgment."

"As distasteful as I find this the only option is death, all agreed?" looking around the chamber all but Dionysus. "do you have something to say?"

"No, I just am not white convinced that Percy would go alone with this." Again the boy tried to speak Zeus was glad he had been gaged.

Pulling his lighting bolt to him Zeus began to charge it, examine the auras of the prisoners he could tell the one that use to be this daughter was preparing for and electric shock running it through none vital parts of her body, an impressive amount of control but ultimately useless, the boy's strength of will was impressive taking the punishment like a man, no cheap tricks very good.

Zeus let the bolt fly smashing into a wall of water, what was Poseidon playing at, water was conductive any way. But as the water dropped the Prisoners were still alive. Turning to his brother "WHAT DID YOU DO?" Zeus began to shout before seeing that Poseidon didn't have his trident out. "I don't know how my brother but it seems that my child has found a way to make waster lighting proof."

Turning to the rest of the Council his family, one of them should have an explanation, "So how can tell me why this traitors scums Aura was hidden from me?" there was silence but out of the corner of his eye Zeus saw Herms twitch. "do you have some answers." Rather an actually answer herms floated an object from the male prisoner, and there was the aura to rival the most powerful demigods to ever live.

Herms was going to get it to alter for knowing about forbidden items making their way into the hands of demigods but now was not the time. Soon enough the partially distort over the death of another daughter Athena gasped, "look at the way the auras are combined, I have never seen anything like it." Zeus looked and understood why was there so much power towards his Daughter, this made no sense and now he would not hear the end of it if he didn't give a token effort to figure it out. "Apollo can you do something".

The sun god got to work he was the god of healing physically but also spritely this might to be an injury but if someone could figure it out in a timely manner it was Apollo. Some tapping joke about saying "AHH" he Guested Zeus to a 1 on 1 explanation.

"so, you know the thing where you take control of someone, by manipulating the lighting in their body." Zeus knew what he was talking about but that took absolute concentration, "well your kid has made a bastard version of it, where instead of taking direct control she just influenced, but after a few weeks she would have become dominate after however long they have spent together." Apollo to a moment to find the right comparison, "she is chaos to his demigod hood. I can see how the control ebbs and flows but most of the time he is a fish and she the current."

Zeus had chosen not to exploit his controlling ability's and not deal with the suspicion it would cause it this was explained, that lack of exploitation would have been for nothing. "ok thank you for this information son, but I'm still going to need to keep this in-between us."

Zeus returned to his chair finally they could continue, Zeus raised his bolt once again and the boy went for another trick. Grabbing the other prisoner and ran right at him, but Poseidon was holding back any water from the prisoners and then they leapt at his foot, Zeus was going to kick them back it to the centre of the room but there were gone.

X

Percy could not believe that his escape had worked, shadow trave was a severely understated skill, but unfortunately for Percy, there was a minor goddess of magic nominally on the side of the gods and willing to just teleport Percy into a cage that would just stop him from using his powers.

The third time was the charm of Zeus, Percy became Incorporeal with Thalia by his side, they made their way to Charon, he remembered Percy and let them skip all of the unpaid lines. Getting to the table of judgment Percy was able to convince the Judges that two to the elysian fields was the same as one to the island of the blessed. And so even if Percy could never get answers to all of the questions that plagued him he found Peace with a mystically forced sole mate. And Thalia was happy to spend the rest of eternity was the guy that stopped her from going to the fields of punishment.


End file.
